Mel's Sandwich Bar food hygiene rating
Takeaway/sandwich shop · Ashfield
Mel's Sandwich Bar holds a 1: major improvement is necessary. The inspector found significant problems at the takeaway and the business is legally required to address them.
The rating: 1 - Major improvement necessary
The rating dates from 2 October 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: 39 Portland Road, NG15 7SL
How it compares in Ashfield
A 1 is rare: only 35 of 854 rated places in Ashfield score this low, about one in 24. 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 | 668 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 91 | 11% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 42 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 35 | 4% | ← Mel's Sandwich Bar | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 92 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- 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 Mel's Sandwich Bar 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 Mel's Sandwich Bar, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentinck Conservative Club Pub/bar/nightclub | at this address | 5 - Very good | 27 May 2025 |
| Broad Oak Park Caring Premises | 273 yards away | 5 - Very good | 7 February 2025 |
| Beaumont House Caring Premises | 296 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2025 |
| Baker and Bear Ltd. trading as Hungry Bakers Pub/bar/nightclub | 322 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 October 2025 |
| Co-op Welcome store Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 324 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 April 2025 |
| Buddliea Home Care Home Caring Premises | 373 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2025 |
| Cashino Pub/bar/nightclub | 381 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 September 2025 |
| Beer Shack Retailers - other | 388 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2026 |
Questions about Mel's Sandwich Bar
What is Mel's Sandwich Bar's food hygiene rating?
Mel's Sandwich Bar has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Ashfield Council on 2 October 2025.
Is Mel's Sandwich Bar safe to eat at?
A 1 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The takeaway 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 Mel's Sandwich Bar last inspected?
Mel's Sandwich Bar was last inspected on 2 October 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Ashfield Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Mel's Sandwich Bar?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", 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 Mel's Sandwich Bar compare to other places in Ashfield?
78% of the 854 rated food businesses in Ashfield hold the top rating of 5, while Mel's Sandwich Bar holds a 1. 35 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Ashfield Council inspects Mel's Sandwich Bar 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 Mel's Sandwich Bar 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 Ashfield, 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: Ashfield
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Ashfield inspects and rates 946 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Ashfield →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.ashfield.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 →