Registration
You must register your business at least 28 days before beginning trade.
Click here for our 'Food Business Registration' page.
Starting a new food business
When starting up a food business, there are a lot of things to consider. The Food Standards Agency provides some useful resources for new business start-ups:
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/startingup
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/guidancenotes/hygguid
Below is a list of the various food safety-related issues you will need to consider:
- Staff Food Hygiene Training
- Allergen practices and documentation
- Your Food Safety Management System; this must be in a written form with accompanying monitoring records
- Whether you will be handling any foods with a higher risk of causing food poisoning if processed incorrectly
- Staff sickness and fitness to work
- Monitoring of any food storage and/or cooking temperatures
- Your business’ pest control
- How you will manage waste
- What kind of licensing your premises may require
- The layout and design of your food business
- The toilet facilities provided
- Separate hand wash facilities
- Sourcing food from reputable suppliers
- Verifying that your gas appliances are safe to use
- What cleaning products you will use
Bite-size Food Safety Advice
If you have any detailed food safety questions or a number of food safety related questions, you can use our Bite-size Food Safety Advice service for businesses. For a charge of £54 (including VAT) an experienced officer will phone you so you can get advice directly from them for up to a 30 minute period. If you are interested in this service, please visit our paid services application page.
New Business Start-Up service
Bath & North East Somerset Council provide a New Business Start-Up service for anyone who would like direct assistance with the safety-related parts of setting up a food business. This is a charged for service. For more information, please visit this page.
Online and Distance selling
If you are intending to sell food online there are some guidelines that you need to be aware of:
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/guidancenotes/food-sold-online
Event and Mobile caterers
If you are setting up a new event catering or mobile catering business that is based in the Bath & North East Somerset Area and you need a Food Hygiene Rating to trade at a specific event, you can utilise our Event Catering Fast Track Service.
Invest in Bath
Our council participates in The Enterprising West of England Programme, offering free business advice on topics other than food safety to:
- Residents of Bath and North East Somerset looking to start up a business
- Any start-up or SME (an enterprise employing fewer than 250 employees) based in the locality.
This advice can be given via one to one sessions, workshops and coaching. If you would like this advice, visit our Invest in Bath website:
http://www.investinbath.co.uk/business/support
Invest in Bath offer a business support and advice service on business-related topics other than food safety. Our services are carried out in partnership with The West of England Growth Hub and Better Business for All.