The Knells Country House food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · Cumberland
The Knells Country House holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 25 June 2025, 12 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: Knells House The Knells, Houghton, CA6 4JG
How it compares in Cumberland
That puts The Knells Country House among the 2,087 places in Cumberland 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 | 2,087 | 84% | ← The Knells Country House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 285 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 88 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 13 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 258 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 Knells Country House 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 Knells Country House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Foodhall Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2026 |
| Cafe on the Green Retailers - other | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 January 2025 |
| Houghton Villiage Store & Post Office Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2022 |
Questions about The Knells Country House
What is The Knells Country House's food hygiene rating?
The Knells Country House has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Cumberland Council on 25 June 2025.
Is The Knells Country House 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 care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Knells Country House last inspected?
The Knells Country House was last inspected on 25 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Knells Country House?
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 Knells Country House compare to other places in Cumberland?
84% of the 2,490 rated food businesses in Cumberland hold the top rating of 5, and The Knells Country House is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Cumberland Council inspects The Knells Country House 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 Knells Country House and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Cumberland inspects and rates 2,748 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.cumberland.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 →