City Stores food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Sunderland
City Stores holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 29 May 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: 95, Chester Road, Sunderland, SR4 7EZ
How it compares in Sunderland
A 2 is rare: only 20 of 1,946 rated places in Sunderland score this low, about one in 97. By contrast 84% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,634 | 84% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 193 | 10% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 20 | 1% | ← City Stores | |
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 365 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Generally satisfactory
- 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 City Stores the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to City Stores, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi Stores Limited Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 369 yards away | 5 - Very good | 28 January 2020 |
| Ashlea Lodge Res. Care Home Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2026 |
| Afro-Naija Supermart Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 21 January 2025 |
| Avenues Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 January 2025 |
| Adda Sunderland Other catering premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 November 2025 |
| Argyle House School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Bianco Italian Grill Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 August 2025 |
| Babaji Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 May 2024 |
Questions about City Stores
What is City Stores's food hygiene rating?
City Stores has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Sunderland Council on 29 May 2025.
Is City Stores safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The shop is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was City Stores last inspected?
City Stores was last inspected on 29 May 2025, 13 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Sunderland Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at City Stores?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does City Stores compare to other places in Sunderland?
84% of the 1,946 rated food businesses in Sunderland hold the top rating of 5, while City Stores holds a 2. 20 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Sunderland Council inspects City Stores 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 City Stores and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Sunderland, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Sunderland
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Sunderland inspects and rates 2,311 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Sunderland →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.sunderland.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 →