The News Agents food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Durham
The News Agents 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 18 August 2025, 10 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: 105 Front Street, Cockfield, DL13 5AA
How it compares in Durham
That puts The News Agents among the 3,087 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 | 3,087 | 75% | ← The News Agents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 683 | 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 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 News Agents 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 News Agents, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Queens Head Pub/bar/nightclub | 19 yards away | 4 - Good | 7 August 2019 |
| The Chatterbox Sandwich Shop Takeaway/sandwich shop | 178 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2026 |
| Taste of China Takeaway/sandwich shop | 358 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 September 2024 |
| Cockfield WMC Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 4 - Good | 21 April 2026 |
| YMCA Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2025 |
| The Co-Operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 January 2026 |
Questions about The News Agents
What is The News Agents's food hygiene rating?
The News Agents has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 18 August 2025.
Is The News Agents 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 The News Agents last inspected?
The News Agents was last inspected on 18 August 2025, 10 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 News Agents?
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 News Agents compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and The News Agents is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The News Agents 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 News Agents 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
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 →