The Prior food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Sunderland
The Prior 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 3 December 2025, 7 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: The Licensee, The Colonel Prior, Moorside Road, SR3 2SW
How it compares in Sunderland
That puts The Prior among the 1,634 places in Sunderland holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,634 | 84% | ← The Prior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 193 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 365 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very 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 Prior 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 Prior, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| After School Club, Benedict Biscop Church Of England Academy School/college/university | 341 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 March 2024 |
| Benedict Biscop CE Academy School/college/university | 341 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 April 2025 |
| Aldi Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 December 2018 |
| Busy Bees At Sunderland - Doxford Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 1 July 2025 |
| Barclays Call Centre Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 December 2025 |
| Archer's Court Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2023 |
| Archers Park Caring Premises | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2026 |
| Alibaba Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2024 |
Questions about The Prior
What is The Prior's food hygiene rating?
The Prior has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sunderland Council on 3 December 2025.
Is The Prior 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 Prior last inspected?
The Prior was last inspected on 3 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sunderland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Prior?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Prior compare to other places in Sunderland?
84% of the 1,946 rated food businesses in Sunderland hold the top rating of 5, and The Prior is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sunderland Council inspects The Prior 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 Prior and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sunderland inspects and rates 2,311 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sunderland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sunderland.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 →