Castle Tap food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
Castle Tap 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 19 February 2026, 4 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: 20 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LZ
How it compares in Durham
That puts Castle Tap 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.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,087 | 75% | ← Castle Tap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 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 Castle Tap 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 Castle Tap, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Barnard Castle Curiosity Shop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 7 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2022 |
| Stables Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 10 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2025 |
| CroBar Pub/bar/nightclub | 18 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
| Oliver Twists @ CroBar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 18 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 25 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2024 |
| Card Factory Retailers - other | 25 yards away | Awaiting inspection | |
| Nobia's Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 30 yards away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 28 October 2025 |
| Chocolate Fayre Retailers - other | 32 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 October 2019 |
Questions about Castle Tap
What is Castle Tap's food hygiene rating?
Castle Tap has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 19 February 2026.
Is Castle Tap 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 Castle Tap last inspected?
Castle Tap was last inspected on 19 February 2026, 4 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 Castle Tap?
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 Castle Tap compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Castle Tap is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Castle Tap 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 Castle Tap and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Castle Tap 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 →