Samms food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Northumberland
Samms holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 2 October 2024, 21 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 7 Merton Road, Ponteland, Northumberland, NE20 9PY
How it compares in Northumberland
That puts Samms among the 2,775 places in Northumberland holding top marks, 90% 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 | 2,775 | 90% | ← Samms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 67 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 393 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 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 Samms 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 Samms, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott's of Ponteland Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 11 May 2026 |
| Gills Fish and Chips Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 6 January 2026 |
| Lorenzo's Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2024 |
| Mogul Raj Tandoori Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 18 March 2025 |
| One Stop Stores Ltd Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2026 |
| Ponteland Post Office Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Merton Way Chinese Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 13 May 2025 |
| Parklands Chemists Retailers - other | at this address | Exempt |
Questions about Samms
What is Samms's food hygiene rating?
Samms has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Northumberland Council on 2 October 2024.
Is Samms 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 restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Samms last inspected?
Samms was last inspected on 2 October 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Northumberland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Samms?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "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 Samms compare to other places in Northumberland?
90% of the 3,073 rated food businesses in Northumberland hold the top rating of 5, and Samms is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Northumberland Council inspects Samms 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 Samms 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
Samms is one of 65 rated food businesses in Ponteland. See every hygiene rating in Ponteland →
Northumberland inspects and rates 3,466 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Northumberland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.northumberland.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 →