Registration of premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) is required by the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. Registration will allow 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 5 or more days in any period of 5 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, 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 days 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 and marquees (but not stalls), some domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact your local authority if you think you might be exempt.
How do I register?
By filling in the form provided (see notes below). Registration cannot be refused and there is no charge. The registration form must be sent to your local authority. The address can be found in this form. 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 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 9. If you have any questions your local authority will help you. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.
What happens to the information given on the form?
The local authority will enter the details on its Register. A register of the name of the business (if any), the addresses, 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.
Future Business Changes
Once you have registered with the local authority you only need notify them of a change of proprietor or if the nature of the business changes. 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.
These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.
Food Premises Registration
This form is in MS Word 97 and if you do not have Word 97on your PC then you can download a reader by clicking here: Downloads .
The Word forms can be opened and completed 'live' on your PC or printed off for completion by hand. If completing on screen please read the note below. In most cases multiple copies of the forms must be submitted so it is advisable to read the relevant notes for applicants carefully before you complete the form. Because of statutory and legal requirements all application forms must be printed off and signed by the applicant and the Council regrets that forms cannot be submitted electronically. When printing off completed forms, you should make additional copies for your own records.
Notes for Completing Forms on Screen
To save a copy of this form on your computer, right click over the link to the form, select "save target as" and browse to a folder of your choice. You will then be able to open this form from Word and will be able to save the data that you add to it.
Please use your mouse to click into the first data entry box then tab or click into the subsequent boxes. To go back you can use your mouse or use 'Shift & Tab'. The text in the body of the forms must not be altered as this will invalidate the forms and will delay your application..
Please do not use the carriage return key when entering information in the boxes as this may extend the length of the physical form when printed.
Once you have completed the form(s) the appropriate number of copies must be printed off, signed, dated and sent back to us by post to:
North East Lincolnshire Council, Environmental Services, Genesis, Origin One, 1 Origin Way, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN37 9TZ.