MA Stores Ltd food hygiene rating
Retailers - other · Carmarthenshire
MA Stores Ltd 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 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 106 Sycamore Way, Carmarthen, SA31 3QG
How it compares in Carmarthenshire
A 1 is rare: only 7 of 1,882 rated places in Carmarthenshire score this low, about one in 269. By contrast 83% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,563 | 83% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 219 | 12% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 86 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ← MA Stores Ltd | |
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 280 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 Generally satisfactory
- 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 MA Stores 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 MA Stores Ltd, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleg sir Gar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 309 yards away | 5 - Very good | 1 September 2025 |
| Bro Myrddin Bowls Pub/bar/nightclub | 367 yards away | 5 - Very good | 23 June 2026 |
| HALLIWELL CENTRE & Snack Bar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 393 yards away | 5 - Very good | 31 January 2024 |
| Co-operative Group Food Ltd (Job's Well Road) Retailers - other | 412 yards away | 5 - Very good | 5 December 2023 |
| Hafan Derwen, St Davids Hospital Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 September 2019 |
| Christ Church Food Bank Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 18 November 2022 |
| Carmarthen Quins RFC Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2025 |
| Cath @ the Quins Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 11 June 2025 |
Questions about MA Stores Ltd
What is MA Stores Ltd's food hygiene rating?
MA Stores Ltd has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 (major improvement necessary), given by Carmarthenshire Council on 6 November 2024.
Is MA Stores Ltd 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 MA Stores Ltd last inspected?
MA Stores Ltd was last inspected on 6 November 2024, 20 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Carmarthenshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at MA Stores Ltd?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "generally satisfactory", 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 MA Stores Ltd compare to other places in Carmarthenshire?
83% of the 1,882 rated food businesses in Carmarthenshire hold the top rating of 5, while MA Stores Ltd holds a 1. 7 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Carmarthenshire Council inspects MA Stores 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 MA Stores 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 Carmarthenshire, 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: Carmarthenshire
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
MA Stores Ltd is one of 466 rated food businesses in Carmarthen. See every hygiene rating in Carmarthen →
Carmarthenshire inspects and rates 2,162 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Carmarthenshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.carmarthenshire.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 →