Handy Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Durham
Handy Stores holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
This rating dates from 13 June 2024, but the business has been re-inspected and a new rating is awaiting publication, so the score shown here is about to change.
Address: Handy Stores Murray Road, Chester-le-Street, DH2 2AT
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so Handy Stores sits behind roughly 3,086 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,086 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 684 | 17% | ← Handy Stores | |
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 25 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 512 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- How well they manage food safety 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 Handy Stores 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 Handy Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 415 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Ashley Cottage Tea Room Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 August 2024 |
| Market Tavern Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 October 2018 |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| J Noble & Sons Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Bullion Lane Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 June 2025 |
| Chester Shawarma Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| Lambton Arms Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 August 2025 |
Questions about Handy Stores
What is Handy Stores's food hygiene rating?
Handy Stores has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 13 June 2024.
Is Handy Stores safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Handy Stores last inspected?
Handy Stores was last inspected on 13 June 2024, more than 2 years 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 Handy Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Handy Stores compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while Handy Stores holds a 4. 684 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Handy Stores 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 Handy Stores 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 →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,645 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 →