Market Hall Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Wakefield
Market Hall Cafe holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the restaurant and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 3 February 2026, 5 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: Units 12 And 13, Market Hall, Market Place, WF8 1AU
How it compares in Wakefield
A 1 is rare: only 36 of 2,692 rated places in Wakefield score this low, about one in 75. By contrast 78% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,111 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 437 | 16% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 86 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 18 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 36 | 1% | ← Market Hall Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 360 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- 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 Market Hall Cafe the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Market Hall Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral Casino Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2022 |
| Ancient Borough Arms Pub/bar/nightclub | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2018 |
| B & M Retail Ltd Retailers - other | 80 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 December 2014 |
| Cartners Cafe Bar Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 89 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2025 |
| Bar Liquid Pub/bar/nightclub | 102 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 March 2024 |
| Beastfair Vaults Pub/bar/nightclub | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 October 2025 |
| Blondies Brewhouse & Bakes Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 109 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 April 2026 |
| Boots UK Ltd Retailers - other | 132 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 August 2024 |
Questions about Market Hall Cafe
What is Market Hall Cafe's food hygiene rating?
Market Hall Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Wakefield Council on 3 February 2026.
Is Market Hall Cafe safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The restaurant 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 Market Hall Cafe last inspected?
Market Hall Cafe was last inspected on 3 February 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Wakefield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Market Hall Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", 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 Market Hall Cafe compare to other places in Wakefield?
78% of the 2,692 rated food businesses in Wakefield hold the top rating of 5, while Market Hall Cafe holds a 1. 36 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Wakefield Council inspects Market Hall Cafe 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 Market Hall Cafe 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 Wakefield, 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: Wakefield
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Market Hall Cafe is one of 642 rated food businesses in Pontefract. See every hygiene rating in Pontefract →
Wakefield inspects and rates 3,052 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Wakefield →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.wakefield.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 →