Soka Wine Centre food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Gateshead
Soka Wine Centre 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 27 January 2025, 17 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: Devon House, Durham Road, Birtley, DH3 1JS
How it compares in Gateshead
In Gateshead, 81% of rated places manage a 5, so Soka Wine Centre 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% | ← Soka Wine Centre | |
| 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 Very 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 Soka Wine Centre 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 Soka Wine Centre, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birtley Community Fridge Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2024 |
| Bumble Bees School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Birtley Community Association Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 October 2025 |
| Bowes Incline Hotel Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 February 2025 |
| Birtley Branch Library Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 December 2023 |
| Benelli's Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 May 2025 |
| China Chef Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 August 2025 |
| Birtley Buffs Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 22 October 2025 |
Questions about Soka Wine Centre
What is Soka Wine Centre's food hygiene rating?
Soka Wine Centre has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Gateshead Council on 27 January 2025.
Is Soka Wine Centre 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 Soka Wine Centre last inspected?
Soka Wine Centre was last inspected on 27 January 2025, 17 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 Soka Wine Centre?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Soka Wine Centre compare to other places in Gateshead?
81% of the 1,436 rated food businesses in Gateshead hold the top rating of 5, while Soka Wine Centre holds a 4. 197 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Gateshead Council inspects Soka Wine Centre 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 Soka Wine Centre and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Soka Wine Centre is one of 102 rated food businesses in Birtley. See every hygiene rating in Birtley →
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 →