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Starting a Food Business

If you are thinking of opening a food business you will need to consider:

• Finding suitable premises
• Registering your business with us (free of charge)
• Food hygiene & Health and Safety training for you and your staff

Finding suitable premises

When you have found suitable premises (remember planning permission or building consultancy approval may be needed if you are making alterations to, or changing the use of, premises).

Contact Redditch Building Control –  01527534038 Contact our Planning Department -    01527534062 Contact our food safety officers -       01527534014 / evh@redditchbc.gov.uk

One of our food safety officers can call and advise you on the structure and layout as well as issues such as proper food safety procedures and training. To arrange a visit you can email us with your contact details or please call 01527534014.

• Starting Up - a booklet (.pdf) on setting up a food business from the FSA (332.28 KB)  (332.28 KB)

Registering your food business with us

At least 28 days before opening you are required by law to register with the local authority.

• Download a Food Business registration form(60.25 KB)  (101.50 KB)

EC regulations require food business operators to register their premises with the local authority 28 days before opening

Registration is a very simple process and the registration form should only take a few minutes to complete. Download and print a copy of the form above or request a paper copy from environmental.health@redditchbc.gov.uk or call us on 01527534014.

There is no charge to register food premises and registration does not need to be renewed periodically. The council cannot refuse to register premises.

Registration provides us with information about the food premises in our area so we can plan our inspections and use our resources effectively. The information will help us to inspect premises that represent a high risk to health more often than those which pose a low risk.

How to start a food business

By law, anyone who owns, manages or works in a catering business must make sure they carry out their work safely and hygienically. This page is full of practical advice and information on food safety to help get you off to the right start.

Your kitchen layout checklist

When planning your kitchen, make sure you think about the following points:

1. Workflow
2. Deliveries
3. Storage
4. Preparation
5. Cooking
6. Final Preparation
7. Serving
8. Lighting
9. Ventilation
10. Plumbing
11. Equipment
12. Surfaces
13. Staff Facilities
14. Cleaning
15. Refuse
16. Pest Control

How many sinks and wash hand basins do I need?

This depends on the type of food preparation you will be doing. Ideally, you should have one sink for food preparation, another two sinks for washing up and cleaning, and at least one wash hand basin conveniently accessible for handwashing only.

Do I need separate refrigerators for raw and cooked foods?

To prevent risk of cross-contamination it is a good idea. However, in small businesses it may be possible to use the same refrigerator, providing all foods are adequately covered and wrapped, and ensuring raw foods are stored at the bottom and cooked foods at the top.

Do I have to use tiles on the walls?

A. No. Any surface which can be easily cleaned eg. washable paint, stainless steel andsuitable wall cladding, will be acceptable.

Do I have to fit flyscreens to the windows?

A. Only on openable windows which are used for ventilation, where flying insects risk contaminating the food.

Can I use wooden surfaces in my kitchen?

A. Wooden surfaces are unsuitable in kitchens because they are absorbent and incapable of being thoroughly cleaned and sanitised.

Can I hang my Coat in the kitchen?

A. No, outdoor clothing and personal effects should be stored away from those rooms in which food is stored or prepared, or put into suitable lockers.

Do I need mechanical ventilation?

A. The amount and type of ventilation you need will depend very much on the nature of your business. For example, a restaurant kitchen with a cooking range and fryers, must have a mechanical extract system incorporating a canopy and grease filters. These systems should be designed by a qualified ventilation engineer.

Do I need training before I open a food business?

A. YES - all food handlers should be trained to a level that is suitable for the work they do. Please ask for details of our Basic Food Hygiene Courses.

What is 'Hazard Analysis'? Do I need it?

A. Hazard Analysis is a way to IDENTIFY and CONTROL potential food hazards that could occur in your business. You must satisfy your Environmental Health Officer that you have considered all the Food Safety risks in your business and have put procedures in place to control or eliminate those risks.

Do I need to worry about the EC?

A. Some types of food businesses, mainly wholesalers, may need to be approved before they can trade in the UK or export to the EC. Please ask for further advice.

Where can I find out more information?

A. There are various sources of information and guidance. Here are some suggested titles:

• The Food Hygiene(England) Regs 2006   
• The Catering Industry Guide
• Government Food Safety Information leaflets (linked below)
• Redditch Borough Council Food Safety advice leaflets

Who else do I need to talk to?

A. For help and information on the various aspects of opening and running a food business, the Redditch borough Council contacts listed below may be helpful.

Food Premises Registration Form

What is registration?

Registration of premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is required by law. Registration will allow us to keep an up to date list of all those premises in our area in order that we can visit them when we need to. The frequency of these visits will depend on the type of business.

Who needs to register?

If you run a food business for more than 5 days in any 5 consecutive weeks, you must tell (or arrange for someone else to tell) us about any premises you use for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. Food premises include restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchens in offices, warehouses, guest houses, delivery vehicles, buffet cars on trains, markets and other stalls, hot dog and ice cream vans, etc.

If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises, such as a shop or warehouse, you only need to tell us how many vehicles you have. You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles but no permanent premises, you must tell us where these vehicles are normally kept.

Anyone starting a new food business must register with us at least 28 days before commencement.

The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration, e.g., some which are already registered for food law purposes, certain agricultural premises, motor cars, tents and marquees (but not stalls), some domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact us if you think you might be exempt.

How do I register?

You can register by completing the form online by clicking on the link below to Food Premises Registration Form.

What happens to the information given on the form?

We will enter your details on our register. A register of addresses and the type of business carried out at each, will be open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided will not be publicly available.

Changes

Once you have registered with us you only need to notify us if there is a change of proprietor or if the nature of the business changes, or if there is a change of address at which moveable premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form.

If we wish to change the entry in the Register because of information we receive from someone else, you will be given 28 days notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed change.

For more information contact: Environmental Health, Redditch Borough Council, Walther Stranz Square, Alcester Street, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 8AH Telephone: 01527534014 - between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday Fax: 01527534172 Email: evh@redditchbc.gov.uk

Related Documents

Food Registration Form
Notes on Registration of Food Premises  (10.89 KB)