Davidsons of Darras Hall food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Northumberland
Davidsons of Darras Hall holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 11 September 2025, 10 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: 11 Broadway, Darras Hall, Ponteland, NE20 9PW
How it compares in Northumberland
A 1 is rare: only 8 of 3,073 rated places in Northumberland score this low, about one in 384. By contrast 90% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,775 | 90% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 67 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | <1% | ← Davidsons of Darras Hall | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 393 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 Major improvement necessary
- 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 Davidsons of Darras Hall the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Davidsons of Darras Hall, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-operative Group Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | at this address | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
| Elkwater Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2024 |
| Haveli Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Morrisons Daily Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 16 March 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt | |
| Number 9 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 3 September 2024 |
| Darras Hall Primary School School/college/university | 196 yards away | 5 - Very good | 21 October 2025 |
| The Coffee Cart (Airstream) Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 January 2024 |
Questions about Davidsons of Darras Hall
What is Davidsons of Darras Hall's food hygiene rating?
Davidsons of Darras Hall has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Northumberland Council on 11 September 2025.
Is Davidsons of Darras Hall safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Davidsons of Darras Hall last inspected?
Davidsons of Darras Hall was last inspected on 11 September 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Davidsons of Darras Hall?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Davidsons of Darras Hall compare to other places in Northumberland?
90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, while Davidsons of Darras Hall holds a 1. 8 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Northumberland Council inspects Davidsons of Darras Hall 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 Davidsons of Darras Hall and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 1 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Northumberland, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Northumberland
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Davidsons of Darras Hall is one of 65 rated food businesses in Ponteland. See every hygiene rating in Ponteland →
Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northumberland.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 →