The Ponty Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Neath Port Talbot
The Ponty 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 12 June 2025, 12 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: 5 James Street, Pontardawe, SA8 4LR
How it compares in Neath Port Talbot
A 1 is rare: only 37 of 1,139 rated places in Neath Port Talbot score this low, about one in 31. By contrast 68% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 777 | 68% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 246 | 22% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 68 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 37 | 3% | ← The Ponty Cafe | |
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 53 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 The Ponty 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 The Ponty Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerbuilding Hardcore Gym Cafe Takeaway/sandwich shop | 225 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 November 2021 |
| Bleddyn Howells Family Butcher Retailers - other | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 August 2022 |
| Cross Fish Bar Takeaway/sandwich shop | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 February 2026 |
| Meze and Grill Turkish Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2026 |
| The Castle Hotel Pub/bar/nightclub | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 December 2010 |
| Emily's Waffle Town Takeaway/sandwich shop | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 20 April 2026 |
| Kumar Stores Ltd Retailers - other | 272 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2018 |
| Peaky Burgers Mobile caterer | 273 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2024 |
Questions about The Ponty Cafe
What is The Ponty Cafe's food hygiene rating?
The Ponty Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Neath Port Talbot Council on 12 June 2025.
Is The Ponty 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 The Ponty Cafe last inspected?
The Ponty Cafe was last inspected on 12 June 2025, 12 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Neath Port Talbot Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Ponty 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 The Ponty Cafe compare to other places in Neath Port Talbot?
68% of the 1,139 rated food businesses in Neath Port Talbot hold the top rating of 5, while The Ponty Cafe holds a 1. 37 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Neath Port Talbot Council inspects The Ponty 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 The Ponty 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 Neath Port Talbot, 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: Neath Port Talbot
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Ponty Cafe is one of 80 rated food businesses in Pontardawe. See every hygiene rating in Pontardawe →
Neath Port Talbot inspects and rates 1,192 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Neath Port Talbot →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.npt.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 →