Food Premises Approval

Approved Food Premises

If you operate a food business within the borough you must, by law, register your premises with us at least 28 days before opening.

If your food business makes, prepares or handles food of animal origin for supply to other businesses then, in most circumstances, the food business and its activities must be approved by us.

Food of animal origin includes:

  • meat and poultry - whether fresh, frozen or cooked
  • meat products such as pies, sausage rolls, faggots, black pudding and bacon
  • raw or partially cooked minced meat or meat preparations such as sausages, burgers, marinated raw meat and kebab meat
  • fish and fish products such as fish fingers, prawns, lobsters, crabs and crayfish - whether dead or alive
  • live bivalve molluscs
  • ready meals containing fish or meat
  • milk and dairy products such as butter, cream, cheese, yoghurt or ice-cream
  • frogs legs and snails
  • rendered animal fats and other animal by products such as gelatine, collagen, stomachs, bladders and intestines
  • honey and blood

To obtain approval you will need to meet certain hygiene standards, set out in EC legislation.

Exemptions

There are some exemptions which are based on the premises being retail or supplying other retailers on a marginal, localised and restricted basis.

If you think your food business requires approval

Please contact the Food and Safety Team in Regulatory Services to discuss your query or to arrange for us to visit you.

At the visit the need for approval can be fully considered and how the business can best comply with the requirements of the regulations can be discussed.  

Changes to your business

You should contact the Food and Safety Team on 01785 619402 as any changes may affect your approval.

Apply online

Apply for Approved Food Premises (Gov.uk) 

Further information

Food premises approval (England) (Gov.uk)

Approved food establishments (Food Standards Agency)

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