The Owl and Otter food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Durham
The Owl and Otter 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 25 February 2026, 4 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: The Owl and Otter, Mountsett, Burnopfield, NE16 6BA
How it compares in Durham
In Durham, 75% of rated places manage a 5, so The Owl and Otter sits behind roughly 3,088 nearby businesses. 16% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 3,088 | 75% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 676 | 16% | ← The Owl and Otter | |
| 3 out of 5 | 284 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 50 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 518 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 Owl and Otter 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 Owl and Otter, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Changing Room Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 June 2025 |
| The Hungry Caterpillar Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 31 March 2026 |
| Premier - Dipton Convenience Store Retailers - other | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 November 2025 |
| Dipton Fisheries Takeaway/sandwich shop | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 July 2025 |
| Kidz Village Day Nursery & Pre-School Caring Premises | 1.1 miles away | 4 - Good | 10 November 2025 |
| Dipton Workingmens Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 August 2019 |
| Valley View Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.1 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 December 2025 |
| The Co-Operative Food Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 July 2024 |
Questions about The Owl and Otter
What is The Owl and Otter's food hygiene rating?
The Owl and Otter has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Durham Council on 25 February 2026.
Is The Owl and Otter 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 Owl and Otter last inspected?
The Owl and Otter was last inspected on 25 February 2026, 4 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 The Owl and Otter?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Owl and Otter compare to other places in Durham?
75% of the 4,122 rated food businesses in Durham hold the top rating of 5, while The Owl and Otter holds a 4. 676 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Durham Council inspects The Owl and Otter 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 Owl and Otter 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 Owl and Otter is one of 22 rated food businesses in Burnopfield. See every hygiene rating in Burnopfield →
Durham inspects and rates 4,640 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 →