Chepstow's The Palmer Centre café awarded top hygiene rating

The Palmer Centre, in Cormeilles Square, is a 'dementia and disabled friendly' place where people can enjoy a cuppa or a freshly prepared meal.

Now the café is celebrating being awarded a hygiene rating of five - the highest a business can get.

Inside The Palmer Centre (Image: The Palmer Centre)

The Food Hygiene Rating Act 2013 became law in Wales on March 4, 2013, requiring all businesses selling food in Wales - including pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels, takeaways, schools, hospitals, canteens, care homes and corner shops – to display hygiene ratings in a prominent place, and to provide the information verbally if requested over the phone.

Inspections are carried out by the local authority officers, and ratings - from zero, meaning urgent improvement is necessary or they may risk closure; to five, meaning standards are excellent - are updated on the FSA website. Businesses have the right to appeal against ratings.

The centre has been given the top hygiene rating (Image: The Palmer Centre)

The three areas assessed are:

• Hygiene - how food is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored;

• The condition of the structure of the buildings – including the cleanliness of kitchens, the layout, whether there is safe lighting and appropriate ventilation;

• Food safety - including record-keeping on how food is kept safe.

The centre is located in Cormeilles Square (Image: The Palmer Centre)

Margaret Gore, Manager of The Palmer Centre said they are 'absolutely thrilled' at their top rating and thanked her staff and volunteers 'who have worked so hard.'

Ms Gore said: "The Palmer centre in is a hub in the heart of Chepstow, offering a warm welcoming space where customers can meet and enjoy freshly prepared meals or chat over a cup of coffee.

"Food hygiene standards are essential when running a busy cafe and to be given a 5* food and hygiene rating we were absolutely thrilled.

The centre is 'absolutely thrilled' at their top rating (Image: The Palmer Centre)

"Thanks must go to Staff and volunteers who have worked so hard for the Palmer Centre to achieve this.

"We are a dementia friendly cafe welcoming all. We are a charity and able to offer a warm, welcoming space where you never have to feel alone, staff and volunteers are always happy to have a chat.

"We have a function room which is hired out for many different classes.

"The centre is for everyone and is also disabled friendly."

Sneak peak inside The Palmer Centre (Image: The Palmer Centre)

Recently, a family run café in Pontypool was crowned the best in Wales. You read more on this here.