First Light Cafe Ltd food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Cardiff
First Light Cafe Ltd 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 19 September 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: 51A Merthyr Road, Tongwynlais, Cardiff, CF15 7LG
How it compares in Cardiff
A 1 is rare: only 48 of 3,031 rated places in Cardiff score this low, about one in 63. By contrast 70% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 2,116 | 70% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 559 | 18% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 255 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 45 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 48 | 2% | ← First Light Cafe Ltd | |
| 0 out of 5 | 8 | <1% |
A further 416 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 Very 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 First Light Cafe Ltd 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 First Light Cafe Ltd, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castell Coch Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 July 2025 |
| Farmers Pantry Ltd Retailers - other | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 December 2023 |
| Asda Stores Limited (Petrol Forecourt) Retailers - other | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 December 2025 |
| Agri SGJ Ltd Importers/Exporters | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 20 June 2016 |
| Coryton Primary School School/college/university | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2026 |
| Buds Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 April 2026 |
| Amelia’s Coffee & Cakes Mobile caterer | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 June 2023 |
| Co-operative Group Food Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 1.0 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2025 |
Questions about First Light Cafe Ltd
What is First Light Cafe Ltd's food hygiene rating?
First Light Cafe Ltd has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Cardiff Council on 19 September 2025.
Is First Light Cafe Ltd 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 First Light Cafe Ltd last inspected?
First Light Cafe Ltd was last inspected on 19 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Cardiff Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at First Light Cafe Ltd?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "very 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 First Light Cafe Ltd compare to other places in Cardiff?
70% of the 3,031 rated food businesses in Cardiff hold the top rating of 5, while First Light Cafe Ltd holds a 1. 48 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Cardiff Council inspects First Light Cafe Ltd 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 First Light Cafe Ltd 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 Cardiff, 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: Cardiff
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
First Light Cafe Ltd is one of 15 rated food businesses in Tongwynlais. See every hygiene rating in Tongwynlais →
Cardiff inspects and rates 3,447 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Cardiff →
The official record is held by the council: https://www.srs.wales/en/Environmental-Health/Food-Hygiene-Standards/Food.aspx
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 →