The Punch Bowl food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
The Punch Bowl holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the pub requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 1 July 2026, 2 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Only 2% of rated food businesses in Durham score 0 to 2 like this, so a low rating here is the exception, not the norm. See all Durham ratings →
Address: The Punch Bowl Edward Street, Craghead, DH9 6EF
How this rating has changed
The Punch Bowl has gone backwards: it held a 2 before its inspection on 1 July 2026, and now holds a 0. A rating of 0 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix.
| Inspected | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 | 2 0 | Worse |
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 Durham
A 0 is rare: only 3 of 4,106 rated places in Durham score this low, about one in 1,369. By contrast 75% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,076 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 669 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 287 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 46 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 25 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ← The Punch Bowl |
A further 525 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Major improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Major improvement necessary
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 The Punch Bowl the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises and confidence in management. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Punch Bowl, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier - Craghead Convenience Store Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 October 2025 |
| Craghead Village Hall Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 September 2022 |
| South Moor Golf Club & Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 January 2024 |
| The Bread and Butter Thing Retailers - other | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2026 |
Questions about The Punch Bowl
What is The Punch Bowl's food hygiene rating?
The Punch Bowl has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Durham Council on 1 July 2026.
Is The Punch Bowl safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The pub may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was The Punch Bowl last inspected?
The Punch Bowl was last inspected on 1 July 2026, 2 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Durham Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Punch Bowl?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "major improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Punch Bowl compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,106 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while The Punch Bowl holds a 0. 3 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Punch Bowl 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 The Punch Bowl and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 0 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Durham, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Durham
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,631 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Durham →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.durham.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 →