Old Malt Shovel food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Newark and Sherwood
Old Malt Shovel holds a 0, the lowest food hygiene rating possible, meaning urgent improvement is necessary. The inspector found serious problems at the pub requiring immediate action.
The rating: 0 - Urgent improvement necessary
The rating dates from 26 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: 25 North Gate, Newark On Trent, NG24 1HD
How it compares in Newark and Sherwood
A 0 is rare: only 1 of 1,046 rated places in Newark and Sherwood score this low, about one in 1,046. By contrast 87% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 906 | 87% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 79 | 8% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 35 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 17 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% | ← Old Malt Shovel |
A further 82 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Urgent improvement necessary
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Major improvement necessary
- 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 Old Malt Shovel the inspector recorded concerns over how food is handled, the condition of the premises 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 Old Malt Shovel, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corner Farm Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 47 yards away | 5 - Very good | 16 July 2025 |
| Aldi Stores Ltd Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 105 yards away | 5 - Very good | 24 February 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 241 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 February 2026 |
| Castle Cuisine Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 246 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 September 2024 |
| Castle Barge Pub/bar/nightclub | 260 yards away | 5 - Very good | 12 May 2025 |
| Greggs Takeaway/sandwich shop | 265 yards away | 5 - Very good | 22 January 2025 |
| Evans Pharmacy Retailers - other | 290 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2023 |
| Chebrew Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 311 yards away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
Questions about Old Malt Shovel
What is Old Malt Shovel's food hygiene rating?
Old Malt Shovel has a food hygiene rating of 0 out of 5 (urgent improvement necessary), given by Newark and Sherwood Council on 26 September 2025.
Is Old Malt Shovel safe to eat at?
A 0 means urgent improvement is necessary: the inspector found serious problems. The pub may still be trading, because a rating is not a closure order, but this is the lowest score the scheme gives.
When was Old Malt Shovel last inspected?
Old Malt Shovel was last inspected on 26 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Newark and Sherwood Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Malt Shovel?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "urgent improvement necessary", the cleanliness and condition of the building "major improvement necessary", 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 Old Malt Shovel compare to other places in Newark and Sherwood?
87% of the 1,046 rated food businesses in Newark and Sherwood hold the top rating of 5, while Old Malt Shovel holds a 0. 1 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Newark and Sherwood Council inspects Old Malt Shovel 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 Old Malt Shovel 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 0 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 Newark and Sherwood, 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: Newark and Sherwood
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Malt Shovel is one of 437 rated food businesses in Newark on Trent. See every hygiene rating in Newark on Trent →
Newark and Sherwood inspects and rates 1,128 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Newark and Sherwood →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newark-sherwooddc.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 →