Villas Express food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Durham
Villas Express holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the shop 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 22 April 2026, 2 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: 6 the Villas, Thornley, DH6 3EU
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so Villas Express 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 | 683 | 17% | ← Villas Express | |
| 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 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 Villas Express 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 Villas Express, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirsties Creations Retailers - other | 56 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 November 2021 |
| Pizza Villa Takeaway/sandwich shop | 56 yards away | 4 - Good | 29 April 2026 |
| The Village Store and Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 131 yards away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 4 December 2025 |
| Thornlaw Post Office - Keystore Express Retailers - other | 138 yards away | 4 - Good | 2 April 2026 |
| Thornley Officials Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 222 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2019 |
| Shanghai Takeaway/sandwich shop | 246 yards away | 1 - Major improvement necessary | 14 April 2026 |
| McCoys News - Keystore Express Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2024 |
| Wheatley Hill Workmens Social Club & Institute Ltd Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 July 2019 |
Questions about Villas Express
What is Villas Express's food hygiene rating?
Villas Express has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 22 April 2026.
Is Villas Express 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 shop to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was Villas Express last inspected?
Villas Express was last inspected on 22 April 2026, 2 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 Villas Express?
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 Villas Express compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while Villas Express holds a 4. 683 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Villas Express 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 Villas Express 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 →