With certain limited exceptions, all food premises are legally required to register with their local authority.

If you are setting up a new business or are a new proprietor of an existing business, you must complete and return a registration form at least 28 days before the business is due to open. Failure to register is an offence that carries up to a £400 fine. Registration is free and it allows local authorities to make contact with new food businesses and to keep accurate records of how many and what type of businesses there are. This information is of vital importance if we need to contact a certain sector of the food industry because of a national food scare. It is also important to allow the Food Safety Team to visit all premises and prioritise its activities.

If you are thinking of starting or taking over a food business, then contact the Food Safety Team for a registration form.

NOTES ON REGISTRATION OF FOOD PREMISES

These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of law.

What is registration?

• Registration of premises used for a food business (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other movable structures) is required under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. Registration will allow local authorities to keep an up-to-date list of all those premises within 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 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 includes restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchens in offices, warehouses, guesthouses, 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 days before starting to trade.
  
  
• The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration, e.g. 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 this form. Registration cannot be refused and there is no charge. The registration form must be sent to your local authority. The address is:
  
  East Lindsey District Council,
  Environmental Services Department,
  Environmental Health Section,
  Tedder Hall,
  Manby Park,
  Louth,
  Lincs LN11 8UP.
  
  If the form sent is 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, 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 to notify them of a change of proprietor or if the nature of the business changes. The new proprietor will have to complete the 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.
  
  Food Safety Section
  Environmental Service Department
  East Lindsey District Council
  Tedder Hall,
  Manby Park,
  Louth,
  Lincs LN11 8UP.
  Tel: (01507) 601111