5

Shortflatt Tower food hygiene rating

Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Northumberland

Shortflatt Tower holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

This is a fresh result: Shortflatt Tower was inspected on 5 August 2026, so the rating reflects what the inspector found very recently.

98% of rated food businesses in Northumberland score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Northumberland ratings →

Address: Belsay, Northumberland, NE20 0HD

How this rating has changed

Shortflatt Tower was re-inspected on 5 August 2026 and held its rating of 5.

Inspected Rating Change
5 August 2026 5 5 Held

The FSA publishes only a business's current rating. This history is our own record of what it has scored since we began watching.

How it compares in Northumberland

That puts Shortflatt Tower among the 2,815 places in Northumberland holding top marks, 91% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.

Every rated food business in Northumberland
5 out of 5 2,815 91% ← Shortflatt Tower
4 out of 5 208 7%
3 out of 5 67 2%
2 out of 5 9 <1%
1 out of 5 7 <1%
0 out of 5 1 <1%

A further 398 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Shortflatt Tower none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.

Food hygiene ratings nearby

The closest food businesses to Shortflatt Tower, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Harnham Buddhist Monastery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.4 miles away 5 - Very good 4 June 2025
Bolam Lake Country Park & Visitor Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.5 miles away 5 - Very good 22 July 2026
Belsay Hall Castle & Gardens Retailers - other 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 23 July 2026
Belsay Hall Castle & Gardens Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 11 July 2023
Belsay Hall Tearooms Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 5 August 2025
Blacksmiths Coffee Shop Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 4 March 2025
The Blacksmiths Barn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 11 July 2023
The Coach House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 1.9 miles away 5 - Very good 22 April 2026

Questions about Shortflatt Tower

What is Shortflatt Tower's food hygiene rating?

Shortflatt Tower has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 5 August 2026.

Is Shortflatt Tower safe to eat at?

The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Shortflatt Tower last inspected?

Shortflatt Tower was last inspected on 5 August 2026, a month ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Shortflatt Tower?

The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Shortflatt Tower compare to other places in Northumberland?

91% of the 3,107 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and Shortflatt Tower is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Northumberland Council inspects Shortflatt Tower and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.

Tell me when this changes

The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Shortflatt Tower and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Northumberland inspects and rates 3,505 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland

The official record is held by the council: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →