Marldon Cards and News food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · South Hams
Marldon Cards and News 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 28 August 2025, 10 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: 1 Marldon Cross Hill, Marldon, TQ3 1NE
How it compares in South Hams
A 1 is rare: only 7 of 854 rated places in South Hams score this low, about one in 122. By contrast 91% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 774 | 91% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 56 | 7% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 15 | 2% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 2 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ← Marldon Cards and News | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 253 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 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 Marldon Cards and News 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 Marldon Cards and News, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTK Ltd T/A Marldon Village Stores Retailers - other | 15 yards away | 5 - Very good | 15 April 2025 |
| Bargain Booze Retailers - other | 1.2 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 June 2017 |
| Carters Retailers - other | 1.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 November 2024 |
| Devonmade Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2025 |
| Burnside Court Caring Premises | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 6 May 2026 |
| Big Baps Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 June 2025 |
| Braedene Lodge Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2015 |
| East in the West Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 1.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 30 July 2024 |
Questions about Marldon Cards and News
What is Marldon Cards and News's food hygiene rating?
Marldon Cards and News has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by South Hams Council on 28 August 2025.
Is Marldon Cards and News 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 Marldon Cards and News last inspected?
Marldon Cards and News was last inspected on 28 August 2025, 10 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by South Hams Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Marldon Cards and News?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "improvement necessary", 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 Marldon Cards and News compare to other places in South Hams?
91% of the 854 rated food businesses in South Hams hold the top rating of 5, while Marldon Cards and News holds a 1. 7 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
South Hams Council inspects Marldon Cards and News 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 Marldon Cards and News 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 South Hams, 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: South Hams
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
South Hams inspects and rates 1,107 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in South Hams →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.southhams.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 →