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How to set up a food business: a step-by-step guide

Use this guide to help you to set up your food business safely and legally. The steps below cover the main issues you will need to consider. For more detailed guidance, please view the full guidance for new food businesses from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a set of website pages or a downloadable PDF.

Before you set up your business

Warning You must register your food business at least 28 days before you start producing or trading food

Decide what you want to produce or sell

There are a number of basic questions which will define your type of food business:

  • If you want to be a food producer, manufacturer, mobile trader, hospitality or retail establishment
  • If you plan to offer dining on-site, provide a take-away service, or deliver food to people's homes
  • If you're going to offer wholesale, retail or online sales

Register your business

There is a central service on the GOV.UK website for registering all new food businesses. This is the quickest and most efficient way to complete your registration. As your local authority, we will receive the details of your business automatically.

You will need to provide the following information when you complete your registration:

  • Your trading name
  • The type of business (such as store, cafe, food manufacturer, mobile caterer, online food trader, and the type of food you will prepare or sell)
  • Contact details for the business owner or operator
  • The location of the business premises
  • When you plan to start trading
  • Your hours of operation
  • If you will employ staff
  • If your premises has a mains water supply
  • If you'll be importing ingredients or exporting products

Register your food business online

If you can't use the online service, you can also complete your registration:

By phone

Call Public Protection at 01225 477508, and one of our officers can complete the form with you over the phone. 

By email

Email us at public_protection@bathnes.gov.uk, for any help with completing a food registration. When we get your registration, we will send you an email confirmation. Whichever method you use to register, we will contact you by email.

Understand and comply with food safety requirements

Your food business registration confirmation will include our contact details, and links to important guidance. Please read this carefully, so you understand the legal requirements of running a food business. We strongly recommend that you make any necessary changes to your business, before your first contact or inspection from us.

Below is a brief list of things you'll need to consider.

Consider your premises

This includes things like:

  • The layout and design of your food business
  • The toilet facilities provided
  • Separate hand wash facilities
  • Verifying that your gas appliances are safe to use
  • Ensuring that walls, surfaces and floors are appropriate for food preparation, and that the building is well ventilated

Read this guide from the FSA on choosing the right premises for your food business.

If you're converting a building

If you're converting a building to use it as a food business, you'll need to apply for planning permission. If your premises are in a listed building, or a conservation area, there may be complex restrictions on the work that you can do to the fabric of the building. 

You should also consult our Building Control team before starting any work. They can advise on the regulations you'll need to follow, and make sure your construction plans for the premises are safe and appropriate.

Consider licensing

There are many different types of licence or permission that you may need, to operate your business legally and safely:

National licences

Visit the A to Z list of industrial licensing requirements on the GOV.UK website, if you're unsure which licences you may need. 

Local licences

Consider your staff

As a business owner, you will be responsible for ensuring your staff are well trained, fit to work, and are working in a safe environment. You will need to consider things like:

Be prepared

Warning It may affect your food hygiene rating, if we inspect your business, and you do not have up-to-date, written records on your food safety and health and safety management systems

Prepare for accidents and emergencies

Use these national guides from the FSA and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE):

Keep up to date with your legal responsibilities and industry best practice

There is both national and local guidance available to help you to stay within the law and manage your new business successfully: