The Old School House food hygiene rating
Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house · Durham
The Old School House holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the hotel met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 1 November 2024, 20 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: The Old School House Colliery Road, Bearpark, DH7 7AU
How it compares in Durham
That puts The Old School House among the 3,088 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 | 3,088 | 75% | ← The Old School House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 676 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 284 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 518 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 Very 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 Old School House 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 Old School House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busy Bears Children's Day Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| DERIC Youth & Community Project Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2026 |
| Durham Academy School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| Field & Fodder Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2022 |
Questions about The Old School House
What is The Old School House's food hygiene rating?
The Old School House has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 1 November 2024.
Is The Old School House 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 hotel to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Old School House last inspected?
The Old School House was last inspected on 1 November 2024, 20 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 Old School House?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 Old School House compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,122 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and The Old School House is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Old School House 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 Old School House and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Durham inspects and rates 4,640 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 →