5

Meals/Shopping Service food hygiene rating

Other catering premises · Gateshead

Meals/Shopping Service holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the business met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 4 October 2013, more than 12 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: Shadon House, Northumberland Place, Birtley, DH3 2AP

How it compares in Gateshead

That puts Meals/Shopping Service among the 1,170 places in Gateshead holding top marks, 81% 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.

Every rated food business in Gateshead
5 out of 5 1,170 81% ← Meals/Shopping Service
4 out of 5 197 14%
3 out of 5 58 4%
2 out of 5 1 <1%
1 out of 5 10 1%
0 out of 5 0 0%

A further 202 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

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 Meals/Shopping Service 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 Meals/Shopping Service, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.

Business Distance Rating Inspected
Barley Mow Inn Pub/bar/nightclub 264 yards away 5 - Very good 1 August 2024
Barley Mow Working Mens Club Pub/bar/nightclub 264 yards away 5 - Very good 12 April 2023
2nd Home Childcare Barlew Mow Caring Premises 307 yards away 5 - Very good 6 March 2025
Appletree Grange Care Home Caring Premises 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 7 January 2026
Dobbies Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.3 miles away 5 - Very good 27 January 2025
Chin Up Coffee Mobile caterer 0.6 miles away 5 - Very good 17 April 2023
Costa Coffee - Northbound Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 8 December 2025
BP North Retailers - other 0.7 miles away 5 - Very good 30 October 2024

Questions about Meals/Shopping Service

What is Meals/Shopping Service's food hygiene rating?

Meals/Shopping Service has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Gateshead Council on 4 October 2013.

Is Meals/Shopping Service 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 business to be very good, the top end of the scale.

When was Meals/Shopping Service last inspected?

Meals/Shopping Service was last inspected on 4 October 2013, more than 12 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Gateshead Council rather than by the business.

What did the inspector find at Meals/Shopping Service?

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 Meals/Shopping Service compare to other places in Gateshead?

81% of the 1,436 rated food businesses in Gateshead hold the top rating of 5, and Meals/Shopping Service is one of them.

Who decides the rating?

Gateshead Council inspects Meals/Shopping Service 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 Meals/Shopping Service 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 →

Understanding this rating

More food hygiene ratings near here

Meals/Shopping Service is one of 102 rated food businesses in Birtley. See every hygiene rating in Birtley

Gateshead inspects and rates 1,638 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Gateshead

The official record is held by the council: http://www.gateshead.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 →