Catering Business Premises Requirements

Find out about requirements for catering business premises, for opening a new business or making changes to existing premises.

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.

Premises Design and Layout

The design, layout, construction, site and size of your premises must:

• comply with the necessary regulations and be suitable for the purpose of your business

• allow adequate maintenance, cleaning and disinfection

• avoid or minimise air-borne contamination

• provide enough working space for you to carry out all tasks hygienically

• protect against the build-up of dirt, contact with toxic materials, shedding of particles into food and forming of condensation or mould on surfaces

• allow good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and, in particular, pest control

• provide, where necessary, suitable conditions for handling and storing food while keeping it at appropriate temperatures, designed to allow those temperatures to be monitored and, where necessary, recorded

You must keep your premises clean and maintained in good repair and condition. You must have adequate procedures to control pests and to prevent domestic animals (pets) from getting into places where food is prepared, handled or stored.

In this section you can find information about general rules for your whole premises and additional rules that apply to food preparation areas.

Choosing New Premises or Making Changes

When you are choosing new premises, or making changes to existing premises, we recommend you contact our Environmental Health team for food safety advice.

You should also check if you need planning permission, either for a change of use or for extending or altering existing premises.

For more information go to our Planning Permission section, read the Planning Guide for Businesses or go to the Business Link website.