Merstham Village Shop food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Reigate and Banstead
Merstham Village Shop 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 29 January 2025, 17 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 South Parade, School Hill, Redhill, RH1 3RA
How it compares in Reigate and Banstead
A 1 is rare: only 16 of 911 rated places in Reigate and Banstead score this low, about one in 57. By contrast 73% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 662 | 73% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 136 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 73 | 8% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 2% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 16 | 2% | ← Merstham Village Shop | |
| 0 out of 5 | 2 | <1% |
A further 183 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 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 Merstham Village Shop the inspector recorded concerns over 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 Merstham Village Shop, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esso Merstham And Londis Merstham Retailers - other | 130 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Coffee Cinta Takeaway/sandwich shop | 142 yards away | 5 - Very good | 4 February 2020 |
| First Steps Nursery Caring Premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 July 2025 |
| Chick-In Stop Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 23 February 2025 |
| Corners Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2021 |
| All Saints South Merstham Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 July 2024 |
| Chartwells At Lime Tree Primary School School/college/university | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 March 2026 |
| Brambly House Montessori School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 24 April 2026 |
Questions about Merstham Village Shop
What is Merstham Village Shop's food hygiene rating?
Merstham Village Shop has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Reigate and Banstead Council on 29 January 2025.
Is Merstham Village Shop 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 Merstham Village Shop last inspected?
Merstham Village Shop was last inspected on 29 January 2025, 17 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Reigate and Banstead Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Merstham Village Shop?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "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 Merstham Village Shop compare to other places in Reigate and Banstead?
73% of the 911 rated food businesses in Reigate and Banstead hold the top rating of 5, while Merstham Village Shop holds a 1. 16 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Reigate and Banstead Council inspects Merstham Village Shop 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 Merstham Village Shop 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 Reigate and Banstead, 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: Reigate and Banstead
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Merstham Village Shop is one of 188 rated food businesses in Redhill. See every hygiene rating in Redhill →
Reigate and Banstead inspects and rates 1,094 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Reigate and Banstead →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.reigate-banstead.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 →