Food hygiene ratings
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is a national scheme run by the Food Standards Agency. The rating given to a business reflects the standards of food hygiene found on the date of inspection and is not a guide to food quality.
We only deal with food premises based within Sunderland City. If your query is about a food premises based outside this boundary, then please contact the Local Authority where the food premises are located.
We use the food hygiene rating scheme to publish the hygiene standards of local food businesses. This is run in partnership with Sunderland City Council and the Food Standards Agency.
Each food business is inspected by one of our food safety officers and given a rating depending on the standards of hygiene found at the time.
Ratings go from '0' to '5'. '0' means that urgent improvement is required and '5' means that very good hygiene standards were found.
The rating is based on:
- How hygienically the food is handled
- The condition of the premises
If you would like further information you might find the links below useful:
Find out the hygiene rating of a food business in Sunderland via the Food Standards Agency website
FAQ about the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
Find out the hygiene rating of a food business in Sunderland via the Food Standards Agency
Appealing against a Hygiene Rating
Once the owner has been advised of their hygiene rating, there is a 21 day period which the food business operator can appeal to Sunderland City Council, if they consider that the inspecting officer awarded them a rating they feel is unjust. For example, they feel that the rating did not reflect the hygiene standards and management controls found at the establishment at the time of the inspection. We will respond to the appeal within 14 days. During this period no hygiene rating will be displayed at the establishment until the appeal has been determined.
Requesting a Food Hygiene Rating Revisit
The food business operator can make a request for a further visit to re-score the premises and this request can be made at any time. The revisit will not take place until at least three months from when the initial inspection has elapsed.
Only one requested revisit will take place, other than in exceptional circumstances. The food business operator will need to outline the improvements that they have made on the revisit request form. Sufficient evidence of the improvement should be included (for example, photographs if necessary) as, if the case made by the food business operator is not substantiated, the council can decline the request to revisit.
Any visit that is undertaken will be unannounced and will take place within three months of the request being made. The inspecting officer will not only check that the required improvements have been made but will also assess the level of the compliance that is found overall. The score therefore could go up, down or remain the same.
This is a chargeable service.
Right to Reply
Food business operators have a right to reply which will be published on the website with their score. The purpose is to enable the food business operator to explain any actions that may have been taken to rectify the non-compliance or mitigation for the circumstances at the time of the inspection.
Any comments submitted may be edited before being published on the website for clarification reasons.
Early Publication Request
As a business owner or manager, you can request that a rating is published before the end of the appeal period.
You must include:
- details of who you are
- the name and address of the business
- your contact information
- the date of the inspection
- the rating given
We will review the request and will usually publish the rating early.
Contact information
If you operate a food business and have a query not covered above, please contact City and neighbourhood
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