The Golden Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
The Golden Lion holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 23 January 2025, 19 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.
91% of rated food businesses in Durham score 4 or 5, so this is a normal, good result for the area. See all Durham ratings →
Address: 30 Market Place, Barnard Castle, DL12 8NB
⚠️ The lowest-rated places near The Golden Lion
These food businesses close to this one were rated 0 to 2 at their last inspection, the lowest ratings. Tap any to see why.
How it compares in Durham
That puts The Golden Lion among the 3,075 places in Durham holding top marks, 75% 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 | 3,075 | 75% | ← The Golden Lion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 670 | 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% |
A further 525 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 Good
- 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 The Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creme De La Crust Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 26 yards away | 4 - Good | 14 July 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 37 yards away | Exempt | |
| Chocolate Fayre Retailers - other | 38 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2019 |
| Oxfam Retailers - other | 40 yards away | Exempt | |
| Clarendons Cafe and Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2026 |
| Heron Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2026 |
| Grape Tree Retailers - other | 51 yards away | 4 - Good | 8 January 2025 |
| CroBar Pub/bar/nightclub | 51 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
Questions about The Golden Lion
What is The Golden Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Golden Lion has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 23 January 2025.
Is The Golden Lion 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 pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Golden Lion last inspected?
The Golden Lion was last inspected on 23 January 2025, 19 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 Golden Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Golden Lion compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,106 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and The Golden Lion is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Golden Lion 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 Golden Lion 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
The Golden Lion is one of 109 rated food businesses in Barnard Castle. See every hygiene rating in Barnard Castle →
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 →