Starting Up a Catering Business

Find out what you need to do to open a new food business in Eastbourne.

For more advice, download or order the Food Standards Agency booklet Starting Up – Your First Steps to Running a Catering Business, available in English and other languages.

Food Safety and Hygiene

It makes good business sense to serve food that is safe to eat. Good food hygiene helps prevent food poisoning and protects your reputation with customers.

Our online guide to food hygiene covers basic safety rules for catering and guidance for mobile caterers. For a food safety management system to help you comply with hygiene legislation and train staff, you can download or order a Safer Food, Better Business Pack and DVD.

You can contact the council's Environmental Health service for further advice, including about appropriate training. You must register your premises with Environmental Health at least 28 days before opening. You can download the form in PDF format below.

What Else Do You Need to Do?

Before opening, contact the council to organise waste and recycling collections. If you want to make changes to your premises, remember that you might need planning permission.

You will need to pay business rates on most premises and get licences for certain activities, such as selling or supplying alcohol or selling hot food between 11pm and 5am.

You might need to register with HM Revenue and Customs as self-employed or register for Valued Added Tax (VAT). These registration processes are completely separate from registering your food premises.