South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Durham
South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 15 December 2025, 6 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: 1 High Street, Sedgefield, TS21 2AU
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion sits behind roughly 3,087 nearby businesses. 17% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 682 | 17% | ← South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion | |
| 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
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 South Durham Ltd trading as The Black 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 South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tickety Boo Retailers - other | 13 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 November 2018 |
| Number Four Teashop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 32 yards away | 4 - Good | 6 January 2025 |
| Mess Charcuterie and Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2025 |
| Back of Beyond Books Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 44 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2025 |
| Julia & Sofias Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 45 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2024 |
| Hardwick Arms Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 55 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2026 |
| The Co-Operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| Sedgefield Convenience Store Retailers - other | 78 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 12 August 2025 |
Questions about South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion
What is South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion's food hygiene rating?
South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 15 December 2025.
Is South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion last inspected?
South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion was last inspected on 15 December 2025, 6 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 South Durham Ltd trading as The Black 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 "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion holds a 4. 682 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects South Durham Ltd trading as The Black 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 South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Durham Ltd trading as The Black Lion is one of 49 rated food businesses in Sedgefield. See every hygiene rating in Sedgefield →
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 →