The Secret Garden food hygiene rating
Other catering premises · Sunderland
The Secret Garden holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 11 August 2025, 11 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: 29 South Street, Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 4EH
How it compares in Sunderland
That puts The Secret Garden 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 Secret Garden | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Secret Garden 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 Secret Garden, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angels Deli Other catering premises | 6 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 October 2024 |
| Dragon Inn Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 175 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2024 |
| Grasswell Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 March 2026 |
| Grasswell House Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2025 |
| Bargain Booze Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 April 2019 |
| Binning Convenience Store Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 March 2023 |
| Food Weighhouse Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2018 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 October 2024 |
Questions about The Secret Garden
What is The Secret Garden's food hygiene rating?
The Secret Garden has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sunderland Council on 11 August 2025.
Is The Secret Garden 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Secret Garden last inspected?
The Secret Garden was last inspected on 11 August 2025, 11 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 Secret Garden?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Secret Garden compare to other places in Sunderland?
84% of the 1,946 rated food businesses in Sunderland hold the top rating of 5, and The Secret Garden is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sunderland Council inspects The Secret Garden 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 Secret Garden and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Secret Garden is one of 276 rated food businesses in Houghton-le-Spring. See every hygiene rating in Houghton-le-Spring →
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 →