The Highlander food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Gateshead
The Highlander holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the pub 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 17 December 2025, 6 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: Front Street, Swalwell, NE16 3DW
How it compares in Gateshead
In Gateshead, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so The Highlander sits behind roughly 1,170 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,170 | 81% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 197 | 14% | ← The Highlander | |
| 3 out of 5 | 58 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 202 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 Very good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Highlander 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 Highlander, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1771 Swalwell Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 196 yards away | 5 - Very good | 13 February 2025 |
| B&M Retail Limited Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 August 2024 |
| Asda (Cafe) Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2025 |
| Asda Stores Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2025 |
| BP Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 April 2024 |
| Burger King Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 April 2026 |
| Buzz Bingo Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 March 2026 |
| Bubble CiTea Newcastle Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 June 2024 |
Questions about The Highlander
What is The Highlander's food hygiene rating?
The Highlander has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Gateshead Council on 17 December 2025.
Is The Highlander 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 pub to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Highlander last inspected?
The Highlander was last inspected on 17 December 2025, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Gateshead Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Highlander?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Highlander compare to other places in Gateshead?
81% of the 1,436 rated food businesses in Gateshead hold the top rating of 5, while The Highlander holds a 4. 197 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Gateshead Council inspects The Highlander 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 Highlander and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Highlander is one of 137 rated food businesses in Whickham. See every hygiene rating in Whickham →
Gateshead inspects and rates 1,638 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Gateshead →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.gateshead.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 →