Starting A Food Business

If you are thinking of opening a food business  you will need to consider:

• Finding suitable premises
• Registering your business with us (free of charge)
• Food hygiene & Health and Safety training for you and your staff

Finding suitable premises

When you have found suitable premises (remember planning permission or building consultancy approval may be needed if you are making alterations to, or changing the use of, premises).

• email Wychavon's Building Consultancy 
• email our Planning Department
• email our food safety officers

One of our food safety officers can call and advise you on the structure and layout as well as issues such as proper food safety procedures and training. To arrange a visit you can email us with your contact details or please call 01905 822799.

• Starting Up - a booklet on setting up a food business from the FSA

Registering your food business with us

If your new business involves manufacture of meat, dairy, fish or egg products AND you plan to supply other premises, you may require formal "Approval" - please read our information about the Approval process.

In all other cases, at least 28 days before opening you are required by law to register with the local authority where the business is based. 

EC regulations require food business operators to register their premises with the local authority 28 days before opening

There is no charge to register premises and registration does not need to be renewed periodically. The council cannot refuse to register premises.

Registration provides us with information about the food premises in our area so we can plan our inspections and use our resources effectively. The information will help us to inspect premises that represent a high risk to health more often than those which pose a low risk.

For a list of businesses already registered please visit our Register of Food Premises.

Alcohol and Entertainment:

If you plan to sell alcohol, provide entertainment or sell hot food after 11 pm, you will probably need to be licensed.

Contact our Licensing Unit on 01905 822799 or visit our Licensing pages

Training

For details of our Food Business training please visit our Training page.

Get our useful Information Pack

This covers food safety and health and safety issues and is available by emailing us.

Useful Factsheets

Downloadable factsheets on food safety for businesses:

• Cleaning of soft ice cream machines
• Cooked Meat
• Food sampling - extended version
• Food sampling - short version
• Fridge temperature control
• Thermatag data loggers
• Vacuum Packed and Modified Atmosphere Packaged Foods

Further Information

All Licensing and Environmental Health Matters are now dealt with by Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

For direct public enquiries and referrals:

General Customer Enquiries

Worcestershire Hub on: 01905-822799

(Mon—Fri 8am—8pm, Sat 9am—5pm)

Email: wrsenquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk

Fax: 01905-617132

For Business advice or support call: 0845-3303313

Licensing: 01527-881454

Licensing Surgeries at Wychavon District Council

These are walk in sessions – where appointments are not required.

Monday Afternoons 13:30 to 15:00 Hrs

Thursday Mornings 9:30 to 11:00 Hrs