Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Durham
Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the shop met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 6 August 2025, 11 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: Morton Crescent Fence Houses, Houghton-le-Spring, DH4 6AD
How it compares in Durham
That puts Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station among the 3,086 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 | 3,086 | 75% | ← Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 684 | 17% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 286 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 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 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 Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station 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 Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balaggans Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 January 2020 |
| Golden Fry Inn Fencehouses Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 October 2025 |
| Dubmire Daycare Centre Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Bargain Booze - Select Convenience Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 November 2022 |
| Front Street Superstore Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 December 2025 |
| Happy Wok Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 August 2025 |
| Grasswell House Caring Premises | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2025 |
Questions about Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station
What is Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station's food hygiene rating?
Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 6 August 2025.
Is Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station 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 shop to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station last inspected?
Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station was last inspected on 6 August 2025, 11 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 Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station 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 Penny on the Move - Fencehouses Service Station and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
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 →