The law requires the registration of premises used for a food business, including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures. Registration will allow local authorities to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises in their area so they can visit them when they need to. The frequency of the visits will depend on the degree of risk involved.

Who needs to register?

If you run a food business for five or more days in any five consecutive weeks, you must tell (or arrange for someone else to tell) the local authority 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, market 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 the local authority 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 the authority where they are normally kept.

·         anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 day before doing so.

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

Register your food business

Register your food business by completing a registration of food premises form which can be obtained from your local Environmental Health Department. Registration cannot be refused and there is no charge.

The local authority will enter the details provided on the form to its register.  A register of the name of the business (if any), the address, telephone number and the type of business carried on 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 the local authority you only need notify them of a change of proprietor, if the nature of the business changes, or if there is a change of the address at which moveable premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form.

If the local authority wishes to change the entry in the register because of information which it receives from someone else you will be given 28 days notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed change.

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This Guidance Note is based on information provided by the London Borough of Ealing Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2HL

Tel: (020) 8825 6666

Email: foodsafety*ealing.gov.uk

Web Link:  www.ealing.gov.uk/services/environment/food+hygiene+and+safety/business+guidance/registering+a+food+business.asp