Registration of food businesses
For most businesses it is a legal requirement to register
with environmental health at least 4 weeks before the intended
opening date. To store, prepare, distribute or sell food on
premises you need to be registered with the environmental health.
Premises include restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops, canteens,
market stalls, mobile catering vans and food delivery vans.
The legal requirement to register is under Article 6(2) of
Regulation (EC) 852/2004.
Some manufacturers handling products of animal origin may need
to be approved by the local authority or the Meat Hygiene Service,
rather than registered. If you are uncertain whether your business
needs to be approved or registered, contact environmental
health.
You can download a copy of the application form to register your
food premises below, contact the environmental health
team for an application form or fill in the electronic form
linked below.
Specific advice will be given depending on the circumstances.
Where necessary an officer will arrange to visit the site of your
business and give advice on the legal requirements relating to
environmental health. Once a new business has opened environmental
health staff will make an initial inspection soon after you have
opened.
During the inspection the officer will make an assessment of the
risks and decide how often revisits to premises will be made. The
risk will depend on the type of food sold, the scale of production,
how food is handled and stored and the condition of the
premises.Your business will be registered within 28 days of
application, however the law does not require a registration form
to be issued.
The public register of food businesses can be viewed by
contacting environmental health.
Licence Holder Redress
Please contact your Local Authority in the first instance.
Customer Complaint
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the
first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the
form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if
you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give
you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.
Other Redress
E.g. about noise, pollution, etc. Also should one licence holder
complain about another.
Trade Associations
Chilled Food
Association
National federation of Meat
and Food Traders
Northern Ireland Food and
Drink Association (NIFDA)
Scottish Food
and Drink Federation (SFDF)