The General Store at the Mill food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Northumberland
The General Store at the Mill holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 May 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Allen Mill, Allendale, Northumberland, NE47 9EA
How it compares in Northumberland
That puts The General Store at the Mill among the 2,775 places in Northumberland holding top marks, 90% 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,775 | 90% | ← The General Store at the Mill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 67 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 393 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
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 General Store at the Mill 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 The General Store at the Mill, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee & Kuriosities Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 17 August 2023 |
| Spice Valley Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 24 June 2025 |
| Thornley House Bed & Breakfast Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 March 2026 |
| Catton Lane Foot Methodist Church Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 March 2018 |
| Allendale Butchers & Farm Shop Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| Allendale Co-operative Society Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 May 2023 |
| Allendale Tea Rooms and Bed & Breakfast Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 November 2024 |
| Emma's Coffee & Sweets Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2024 |
Questions about The General Store at the Mill
What is The General Store at the Mill's food hygiene rating?
The General Store at the Mill has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 2 May 2024.
Is The General Store at the Mill 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The General Store at the Mill last inspected?
The General Store at the Mill was last inspected on 2 May 2024, more than 2 years 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 The General Store at the Mill?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The General Store at the Mill compare to other places in Northumberland?
90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and The General Store at the Mill is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Northumberland Council inspects The General Store at the Mill 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 General Store at the Mill and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The General Store at the Mill is one of 21 rated food businesses in Allendale. See every hygiene rating in Allendale →
Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 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 →