Spar (Blakemore Retail) food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Powys
Spar (Blakemore Retail) holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the shop that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 13 October 2025, 8 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: 26 Castle Street, Hay-On-Wye, Hereford, HR3 5DF
How it compares in Powys
A 2 is rare: only 44 of 2,314 rated places in Powys score this low, about one in 53. By contrast 74% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,715 | 74% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 437 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 91 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 44 | 2% | ← Spar (Blakemore Retail) | |
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 326 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
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 Spar (Blakemore Retail) the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. 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 Spar (Blakemore Retail), nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Boar Hotel/bed & breakfast/guest house | at this address | 5 - Very good | 11 March 2025 |
| Castle Greengrocers Retailers - other | at this address | 5 - Very good | 8 October 2014 |
| Hay Castle Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 5 - Very good | 4 November 2025 |
| Hay Cattle Market Cafe Mobile caterer | at this address | 4 - Good | 29 August 2013 |
| North Books Retailers - other | at this address | 4 - Good | 29 April 2024 |
| Red Indigo Indian Restaurant Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | at this address | 4 - Good | 11 November 2025 |
| C J Gibbons Ltd t/a Neil Powell Retailers - other | at this address | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 20 January 2026 |
| Baaad Flockers (Hay) Retailers - other | 31 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 January 2025 |
Questions about Spar (Blakemore Retail)
What is Spar (Blakemore Retail)'s food hygiene rating?
Spar (Blakemore Retail) has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Powys Council on 13 October 2025.
Is Spar (Blakemore Retail) safe to eat at?
A 2 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 Spar (Blakemore Retail) last inspected?
Spar (Blakemore Retail) was last inspected on 13 October 2025, 8 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Powys Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Spar (Blakemore Retail)?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Spar (Blakemore Retail) compare to other places in Powys?
74% of the 2,314 rated food businesses in Powys hold the top rating of 5, while Spar (Blakemore Retail) holds a 2. 44 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Powys Council inspects Spar (Blakemore Retail) 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 Spar (Blakemore Retail) 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 2 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 Powys, 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: Powys
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Spar (Blakemore Retail) is one of 78 rated food businesses in Hereford. See every hygiene rating in Hereford →
Powys inspects and rates 2,640 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Powys →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.powys.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 →