All food premises within the Bolsover district must register with us 28 days before opening. Only register if you are ready to start trading.
It is a criminal offence to operate an unregistered food premises.
There is no charge, registration can’t be refused, and you can usually continue with your business as soon as you have applied for registration.
Who should apply
Premises where food and/or drink operations are carried out on a regular basis should be registered with us.
By food and/or drink operations we mean:
- preparing
- storing or handling
- cooking
- distributing
- selling or providing
This includes:
- food businesses
- mobile food units (you must register with the authority where the mobile unit is kept overnight)
- market stalls
- delivery vehicles and other moveable structures
- charitable and non-profit organisations
- seasonal businesses
It also includes:
- non-profit organisations, such as charities and lunch clubs serving tea, coffee and biscuits
- all public houses even if they only serve drinks and bar snacks and do not provide meals
- catering from your home, for example cake production or jam making
- food provided as part of an event for which no charge is made
Starting a new food business
The FSA provides details on the requirements you must consider when starting a food business. Please read all the pages in this guide to ensure you have the information you need to run your food business. https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/starting-your-food-business-safely
The following link provides information on how to choose the right premises and what facilities you need to provide in your food business. Please read all the pages in this guide to ensure you have the information you need to run your food business. https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/setting-up-your-food-business-premises
The food standards agency website has a step-by-step checklist for setting up and starting a food business: https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/getting-ready-to-start-your-food-business
Find out more from the Food Standards Agency
Costs
There are no costs involved in registration.
What happens once you have made an application
Once we have received your registration form it will be risk assessed to determine the level of risk your business operation(s) may pose to the public. Examples of high risk businesses include:
- cafes
- restaurants
- takeaways
- caterers
- pubs serving meals
- preparation and storage of high risk food items
Examples of low risk businesses include:
- premises selling wrapped sweets and crisps
- pubs serving only drinks and snacks
We cannot provide you with a date for the inspection, but it will be as soon as possible after opening.
High risk food businesses will be inspected on a regular basis. Low risk businesses (such as corner shops) may be visited less frequently or be required to complete a self-assessment form instead of being visited.
Tacit consent will apply
This means that you may trade from the opening date you specify on your registration form.
You should submit your application 28 days before the date on which you plan to open.
Apply to register your food business
You can apply online to register your premises as a food business Register your premises as a food business
You must also inform us if there is a change of ownership, business address or name, nature of the business, or if you cease trading.
If something changes...
You must tell us straight away if you close your food business, there is a change in ownership, business address or name, nature of the business or if there is any significant change that could affect your registration.
Free Food Safety Training for Businesses
We have a limited offer of free online training for food business managers, supervisors and food handlers.
The manager/supervisor level 3 Qualification usually costs £175 and the Level 2 food handler course costs £25. To support local businesses recovering from the pandemic and to enable businesses to achieve a 5-star food hygiene rating we’re offering a limited number of courses for free.
The offer is limited to one of the Level 3 courses for each business premises and two for the Level courses per business premises. They’re also available on a first come, first served basis. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
At the end you receive a formal qualification and certificate to download, print and display.
Click here for more information and to register.
If you require larger numbers of courses we may be able to set up a specific training session or provide additional places for a fee.
All food businesses are required to have a documented food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP. Although this may sound onerous a small catering business can get a free guidance pack called Safer Food and Better Business from the Food Standards Agency.
While there is no law saying that you must have formal training in food safety if you run a business, the law does require you to ensure you have adequate training and supervision. This can be tricky unless you have had some form of training and instruction. The easiest way to do this is by placing food handling staff of food safety training which costs very little, and for managers and supervisors to have a more advanced training qualification.
Temporary Events
Information regarding hosting temporary events / obtaining a licence or permit can be found on our temporary events page.
