Information for food businesses
» Swine flu information for businesses (pdf)
This NHS booklet explains how businesses can help reduce the spread of flu.
For information on registering a new food business, please refer to the » Registering your food business section below.
Food labelling
» Food labelling - legal requirements and definitions (pdf)
Food hygiene training
Food Safety Training, Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering is being offered at the council by jkcatering solutions. The course is a one day course and is accredited by the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health. For more information please contact JK Catering Solutions on 05603215649 or e-mail enquiries@jkcateringsolutions.co.uk or visit jkcateringsolutions.co.uk.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
The HACCP is a system of food safety management designed to make sure hazards are being controlled by food businesses. See » A Guide to HACCP for caterers (pdf)
Imported food control
If you import food commercially you need to know about the regulations that apply to the types of food you deal with. Visit www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/imports to find out about importing food.
Registering your food business
Premises used for a food business must be registered by law including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures. This enables us to keep an up-to-date list of food business premises in the borough so we can visit them when we need to. The frequency of the visits will depend on the type of business.
Who needs to register?
- If you run a food business whether for profit or not and whether public or private, you must tell (or arrange for someone else to tell) us about any premises you use for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. Food premises include restaurants, hotels, cafes, shops, supermarkets, staff canteens, kitchens in offices, warehouses, guest houses, delivery vehicles, buffet cars on trains, market and other stalls, hot dog and ice cream vans etc.
- If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises such as a shop, or warehouse you only need to tell us how many vehicles you have. You do not need to register each vehicle separately. If you have one or more vehicles but no permanent premises, you must tell us where they are normally kept.
- Anyone starting a new food business must register with the local authority at least 28 days before doing so.
- The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration, for example, some which are already registered for food law purposes, certain agricultural premises, motor cars, tents and marquees (but not stalls), some domestic premises and some village halls. You should contact us if you think your premises might be exempt.
How do I register?
» Download a Food Business Registration Form (pdf). There is no charge for registration. If you use premises in more than one local authority area, you must register with each authority separately. Fill in the form and return it to: Food Safety Team, Hammersmith & Fulham Council, 5th Floor, Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, W6 9JU.
You must tick all the boxes which apply to your business, answer all the questions and give all the information requested. It is an offence to give information which you know is false.
What happens to the information given on the form?
We will enter the details of your food business on our register. A register of addresses and the type of business carried on at each will be open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided will not be publicly available.
Changes to the premises information
Once you have registered with the council you only need to tell us about: a change of proprietor, if the nature of the business changes, or if there is a change of the address at which moveable premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form. If we wish to change the entry in the register because of information we receive from someone else you will be given 28 days’ notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed change.
HACCP
Several HACCP articles relevant for new food businesses are listed below. Please note, these articles are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.
» HACCP information on training for you and your staff (pdf)
» HACCP information on hazard analysis (pdf)
» HACCP information on temperature control (pdf)
Smoke free
» Find out about Smoke free legislation
Sale of Tobacco
From Monday 1st October 2007 it became illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 (an increase from 16) in England and Wales. For more information see » Raising the age of tobacco sales (pdf)
