5

Raby Arms food hygiene rating

Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham

Raby Arms 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 17 February 2025, 16 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.

Address: 17 Market Place, Barnard Castle, DL12 8NF

How it compares in Durham

That puts Raby Arms among the 3,087 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.

Every rated food business in Durham
5 out of 5 3,087 75% ← Raby Arms
4 out of 5 682 17%
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

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 Raby Arms 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 Raby Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
No 15 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 4 yards away 5 - Very good 10 July 2025
Babul's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 21 yards away 5 - Very good 29 November 2021
Gelato Tutti Takeaway/sandwich shop 30 yards away 5 - Very good 11 June 2025
Pizza Cottage Takeaway/sandwich shop 47 yards away 4 - Good 12 December 2024
Clarendons Cafe and Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 52 yards away 5 - Very good 23 January 2026
Heron Foods Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets 54 yards away 5 - Very good 26 January 2026
Holland and Barrett Retailers - other 60 yards away 5 - Very good 16 January 2020
Moments Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 66 yards away 5 - Very good 1 May 2026

Questions about Raby Arms

What is Raby Arms's food hygiene rating?

Raby Arms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 17 February 2025.

Is Raby Arms 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 Raby Arms last inspected?

Raby Arms was last inspected on 17 February 2025, 16 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 Raby Arms?

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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.

How does Raby Arms compare to other places in Durham?

75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Raby Arms is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Durham Council inspects Raby Arms 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 Raby Arms and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.

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Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Raby Arms 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 →