The Highway Store food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Torfaen
The Highway Store holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the shop and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 9 December 2025, 7 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: 123 The Highway, New Inn, NP4 0PJ
How it compares in Torfaen
A 1 is rare: only 21 of 709 rated places in Torfaen score this low, about one in 34. By contrast 72% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 513 | 72% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 126 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 41 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 21 | 3% | ← The Highway Store | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 72 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 Major improvement necessary
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 Highway Store the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled and confidence in management. 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 The Highway Store, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foodie Shack & Deli Ltd Takeaway/sandwich shop | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Domino's Pizza Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2025 |
| Cupcakes 'N' Dinosaurs Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 December 2025 |
| Bite Mobile caterer | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
| BAMA Europa UK Limited Manufacturers/packers | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 November 2025 |
| Greggs Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| Cyfeillion Bach Caring Premises | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 January 2026 |
| Harvester Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2025 |
Questions about The Highway Store
What is The Highway Store's food hygiene rating?
The Highway Store has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Torfaen Council on 9 December 2025.
Is The Highway Store safe to eat at?
A 1 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 The Highway Store last inspected?
The Highway Store was last inspected on 9 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Torfaen Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Highway Store?
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 "major improvement necessary". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Highway Store compare to other places in Torfaen?
72% of the 709 rated food businesses in Torfaen hold the top rating of 5, while The Highway Store holds a 1. 21 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Torfaen Council inspects The Highway Store 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 Highway Store 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 1 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 Torfaen, 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: Torfaen
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Highway Store is one of 288 rated food businesses in Pontypool. See every hygiene rating in Pontypool →
Torfaen inspects and rates 781 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Torfaen →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.torfaen.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 →