(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
A North Yorkshire cafe based in a historic market hall has been handed a one-star food hygiene rating following an inspection by the food standards watchdog.
The Market Cafe at Richmond Market Hall, was inspected on June 9, with inspectors finding that major improvements were needed in the management of food safety.
According to the inspection findings, hygienic food handling at the cafe, including preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage, was rated as “good”.
The cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building was judged to be “generally satisfactory”. This category includes the layout of the premises, ventilation, hand-washing facilities and pest control.
The Market Cafe, based inside Richmond Market Hall
(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
However, inspectors rated the management of food safety as requiring “major improvement”.
This section looks at areas including whether staff have sufficient knowledge of food safety, whether appropriate systems and checks are in place, and whether inspectors are confident that standards will continue to be maintained.
The findings resulted in the premises receiving an overall food hygiene rating of one out of five.
The cafe is based in Richmond’s Victorian Market Hall and has operated there since 2019, serving breakfasts, brunches, lunches, cakes and drinks.
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Its Tripadvisor listing gives it a rating of 4.4 out of five, with the business described as serving homemade food prepared fresh each day.
Recent reviews have offered a mixed picture of the cafe. A May 2026 visitor praised its “exceedingly good prices”, friendly staff and service, while another reviewer in May 2025 highlighted its “homely hot food” and reasonable prices.
The Market Cafe is listed as being open seven days a week at Richmond Market Hall, with weekday and Saturday opening hours from 9am until 4pm and Sunday hours from 10am until 4pm.