St Aidens Cottage food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · Durham
St Aidens Cottage 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 3 November 2025, 8 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: Old Vicarage Auton Stile, Bearpark, DH7 7AA
How it compares in Durham
That puts St Aidens Cottage 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% | ← St Aidens Cottage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 St Aidens Cottage 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 St Aidens Cottage, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busy Bears Children's Day Nursery Caring Premises | 60 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Durham Academy School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 March 2026 |
| DERIC Youth & Community Project Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2026 |
| Field & Fodder Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 March 2022 |
Questions about St Aidens Cottage
What is St Aidens Cottage's food hygiene rating?
St Aidens Cottage has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 3 November 2025.
Is St Aidens Cottage 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 St Aidens Cottage last inspected?
St Aidens Cottage was last inspected on 3 November 2025, 8 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 St Aidens Cottage?
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 St Aidens Cottage compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and St Aidens Cottage is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects St Aidens Cottage 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 St Aidens Cottage 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 →