Sycamore Lodge food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Durham
Sycamore Lodge 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 4 June 2025, 13 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: Sycamore Lodge Briar Close, Middlestone Moor, Spennymoor, DL16 7ES
How it compares in Durham
That puts Sycamore Lodge 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% | ← Sycamore Lodge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 Sycamore Lodge 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 Sycamore Lodge, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rake's Sweet Treats Takeaway/sandwich shop | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 June 2024 |
| One Stop Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 September 2022 |
| One Stop Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 December 2023 |
| Clems Fish Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
| Happy Valley Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 May 2025 |
| Quinns Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 September 2019 |
| Pedros Peri Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 July 2024 |
| Express Coffee Shop & Candy Creations Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 April 2025 |
Questions about Sycamore Lodge
What is Sycamore Lodge's food hygiene rating?
Sycamore Lodge has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Durham Council on 4 June 2025.
Is Sycamore Lodge 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 Sycamore Lodge last inspected?
Sycamore Lodge was last inspected on 4 June 2025, 13 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 Sycamore Lodge?
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 "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Sycamore Lodge compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,133 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, and Sycamore Lodge is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects Sycamore Lodge 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 Sycamore Lodge and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sycamore Lodge is one of 118 rated food businesses in Spennymoor. See every hygiene rating in Spennymoor →
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 →