The Lakes Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Sunderland
The Lakes Cafe 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 1 March 2019, more than 7 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: Hetton Lyons Park, Colliery Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, DH5 0QZ
How it compares in Sunderland
That puts The Lakes Cafe among the 1,634 places in Sunderland holding top marks, 84% 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 | 1,634 | 84% | ← The Lakes Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 193 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 365 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 The Lakes Cafe 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 Lakes Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| C+C Grill Mobile caterer | 411 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Kings Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 November 2025 |
| Hetton & District WMC Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 October 2023 |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 November 2025 |
| Discount Store Unit 2 Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2022 |
| Hetton Delight Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Market Street Chippy Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2025 |
| Elizabeth Fleming Care Centre Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
Questions about The Lakes Cafe
What is The Lakes Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Lakes Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Sunderland Council on 1 March 2019.
Is The Lakes Cafe 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 The Lakes Cafe last inspected?
The Lakes Cafe was last inspected on 1 March 2019, more than 7 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sunderland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Lakes Cafe?
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 The Lakes Cafe compare to other places in Sunderland?
84% of the 1,946 rated food businesses in Sunderland hold the top rating of 5, and The Lakes Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Sunderland Council inspects The Lakes Cafe 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 Lakes Cafe 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
The Lakes Cafe is one of 276 rated food businesses in Houghton-le-Spring. See every hygiene rating in Houghton-le-Spring →
Sunderland inspects and rates 2,311 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sunderland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sunderland.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 →