The Scotch Arms food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
The Scotch Arms holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 27 December 2024, 18 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 48 Derwent Street, Blackhill, DH8 8LZ
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so The Scotch Arms 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% | ← The Scotch Arms | |
| 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Scotch Arms 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 Scotch Arms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shotley Bridge Nursery School School/college/university | 123 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 June 2026 |
| JF Kennedy Care Centre Other catering premises | 253 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2026 |
| Lisa's Little Tearoom Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 280 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2025 |
| Tesco Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 326 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2026 |
| Blackhill Fish and Chip Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 350 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| Londis Blackhill Retailers - other | 361 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 May 2024 |
| Phoenix Express Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 361 yards away | 5 - Very good | 30 January 2024 |
| Blackhill Masonic Hall Pub/bar/nightclub | 408 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2024 |
Questions about The Scotch Arms
What is The Scotch Arms's food hygiene rating?
The Scotch Arms has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 27 December 2024.
Is The Scotch Arms 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Scotch Arms last inspected?
The Scotch Arms was last inspected on 27 December 2024, 18 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 The Scotch Arms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Scotch Arms compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while The Scotch Arms holds a 4. 682 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Scotch Arms 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 Scotch Arms 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 Scotch Arms is one of 23 rated food businesses in Blackhill. See every hygiene rating in Blackhill →
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 →