The Dog House food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Derry City and Strabane
The Dog House 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 29 September 2025, 9 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: 3 Main Street, Churchtown, Castlederg, BT81 7AY
How it compares in Derry City and Strabane
In Derry City and Strabane, 76% of rated places manage a 5, so The Dog House sits behind roughly 924 nearby businesses. 19% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 924 | 76% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 225 | 19% | ← The Dog House | |
| 3 out of 5 | 60 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 3 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 127 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 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 Dog House 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 Dog House, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey Joe's Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 January 2025 |
| Royal British Legion Club Retailers - other | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 January 2025 |
| The Castle Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2025 |
| KM Fish Retailers - other | 137 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 June 2024 |
| Derg Valley Care Other catering premises | 141 yards away | 4 - Good | 20 October 2023 |
| Derg Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Taste of India Takeaway/sandwich shop | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 May 2025 |
| Townhouse Bar Pub/bar/nightclub | 149 yards away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2025 |
Questions about The Dog House
What is The Dog House's food hygiene rating?
The Dog House has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Derry City and Strabane Council on 29 September 2025.
Is The Dog House 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 Dog House last inspected?
The Dog House was last inspected on 29 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Derry City and Strabane Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Dog House?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very 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 Dog House compare to other places in Derry City and Strabane?
76% of the 1,215 rated food businesses in Derry City and Strabane hold the top rating of 5, while The Dog House holds a 4. 225 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Derry City and Strabane Council inspects The Dog House 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 Dog House 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 Dog House is one of 236 rated food businesses in Tyrone. See every hygiene rating in Tyrone →
Derry City and Strabane inspects and rates 1,342 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Derry City and Strabane →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.derrystrabane.com
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 →