Grape Tree food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Durham
Grape Tree 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
The rating dates from 8 January 2025, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 5 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LY
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so Grape Tree sits behind roughly 3,087 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 682 | 17% | ← Grape Tree | |
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 51 | 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 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 Grape Tree 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 Grape Tree, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxfam Retailers - other | 18 yards away | Exempt | |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 22 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
| The Dispensary Cafe Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 27 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2026 |
| Rise Artisan Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 29 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2025 |
| Creme De La Crust Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 36 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Barnard Castle Fisheries Takeaway/sandwich shop | 38 yards away | 4 - Good | 1 May 2026 |
| Chocolate Fayre Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2019 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 41 yards away | Exempt |
Questions about Grape Tree
What is Grape Tree's food hygiene rating?
Grape Tree has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 8 January 2025.
Is Grape Tree 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 Grape Tree last inspected?
Grape Tree was last inspected on 8 January 2025, 18 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 Grape Tree?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Grape Tree compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while Grape Tree holds a 4. 682 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Grape Tree 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 Grape Tree and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Grape Tree is one of 107 rated food businesses in Barnard Castle. See every hygiene rating in Barnard Castle →
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 →