1. 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 allows 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 type of business.
2. Who needs to register?
If you run a food business 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 includes 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 and so on.
3. Does my business need to be approved rather than registered?
Certain food business establishments are required to be approved rather than registered on the basis of the activities they carry out. You need to apply for approval if you are going to use any of the following products of animal origin:
- minced meat or meat preparations
- mechanically separated meat
- meat products
- live bivalve molluscs (shellfish) or fishery products
- raw milk or diary products
- eggs (not primary production) or egg products
- frog's legs and snails
- rendered animal fats and greaves
- treated stomachs, bladders and intestines
- Gelatine
- Collagen
Please contact our Commercial and Food Team to check if you need to apply for approval. Email: food&safety@stedsbc.gov.uk Phone: 01284 757054.
4. Do I need to register vehicles?
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.
5. When must I register?
Food business operators starting a new food business establishment must register with the local authority at least 28 days before commencing food operations.
6. How do I register?
By filling in the Application for the registration of a food business establishment form (PDF 57Kb). Registration cannot be refused and there is no charge. The registration form must be sent to your local authority. The address can also be found in the telephone directory. If the form is sent to the wrong address your application will not take effect until it is received at the proper place. If you use premises in more than one local authority area, you must register with each authority separately.
You must tick all the boxes which apply to your business, answer all the questions and give all the information requested. Seasonal businesses operating for a certain period each year should give the dates between which they will be open in answer to question 12. If you have any questions your local authority will help you. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.
Completed forms should be returned to:
Commercial and Food Team
St Edmundsbury Borough Council
West Suffolk House
Western Way
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk IP33 3YU
Acknowledgements will not be issued for registration application forms.
7. What happens to the information given on the form?
The local authority will enter the details on its Register. A register of addresses 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.
7. What happens if my details change?
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, closure, or if there is a change of the address at which movable premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form. This must be done within 28 days of the change(s) happening.
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. These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.
If you are unsure whether any aspect of your food operations would require your establishment to be approved, please contact:
Commercial and Food Team
Edmundsbury Borough Council
West Suffolk House
Western Way
Bury St Edmunds
IP33 3YU
Email: food&safety@stedsbc.gov.uk
Phone: 01284 757054
