Food premises registration
The premises you choose for your business must:
- comply with the necessary regulations
- allow you to prepare food safely.
Registration is free of charge and cannot be refused. A food premises registration is also necessary where a change of ownership has taken place at an existing business.
All new food business establishments must register with the council at least 28 days before starting food operations.
Registration applies to most businesses that store, prepare, distribute or sell food on premises, including:
- restaurants
- pubs
- bars
- cafes
- hotels
- canteens
- schools and colleges
- nurseries
- takeaway shops
- supermarkets and smaller food retailers
- chemists
- newsagents
- freight companies
- delivery vans
- wholesale warehouses
- workplace or institutional catering operations
- catering businesses run from home
- mobile or temporary premises, such as market stalls and vans.
The Nationwide Caterers Association can provide mobile and temporary premises with good advice, training and documentation on, for example, assisting with the completion of SFBB packs.
Occasional home bakers, seasonal jam and preserves makers and people catering for one off events are not required to be registered as food businesses. Where small amounts of food are produced on an occasional basis and where a minimum level of organisation is required you are not required to be registered as food businesses. The Food Standards Agency provides advice on providing food at community and charity events.
Business that do not need registration must still produce safe food.
Please note: We aim to process food business registrations within 28 calendar days.