Food business information

Food business information

Commercial Services Service Delivery Standards

Our Service Standards and response times.

When dealing with Officers from the Commercial Services team you can expect them to:

• Be polite and courteous at all times.
• Keep appointments or give a full explanation if they are broken.
• Make clear distinctions between legal requirements and recommendations.
• Operate in line with relevant legislation, national codes of practice and guidance issued by the FSA, the HSE and LG Regulation.
• Have the necessary qualifications for the task being carried out.
• Be monitored by the Commercial Services Manager to assess their ongoing competence and performance, through an accompanied inspection programme and a work verification system.
• Follow the department's enforcement policy when taking enforcement action.
• Include the contact names and telephone numbers of staff in all correspondence sent by Officers.
• Leave a hand-written report and send out follow-up correspondence within 14 days, following an inspection. 

Business satisfaction survey questionnaires are sent by the Business Support Services team to monitor the opinions of our customers and for suggestions for service improvements.

We aim to respond to all service requests received within 1 working day. Some infectious disease/food poisoning outbreaks and food alerts issued by the FSA may require an immediate response as do accident notifications, asbestos release and lift reports where the service of a prohibition notice may be required.

Registering your food business

Food businesses 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?

• Any food business storing, selling, distributing or preparing food must register, including restaurants, hotels and b&b's, cafes, retail shops, staff canteens, warehouses, delivery vehicles, market stalls, mobile vans etc.
• If you have a mobile vehicle you must register at the address where the vehicle is normally kept. If this is at a food business registered with a Council you do not need to register the vehicles separately.
• If you are starting a new food business (including new ownership of an existing business) you must register with the local authority at least 28 days before commencing.
• The majority of premises will have to be registered, however certain premises are exempt from registration. You should contact us if you think your premises might be exempt 

How do I register?

» Register online (opens new window)

» Download a Food Business Registration Form (pdf 68KB)

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 the address below. 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.

For further information on food safety inspections please click on the 'food safety inspections' link on the right hand side.

Food safety regulations

» Summary guidance on the new food hygiene regulations for restaurants, caterers and food businesses (pdf on external website)

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.

» A Guide to HACCP for caterers (pdf 990KB)

Training opportunities for businesses

Help your business or organisation stay on the right side of the law - find out about public health training courses on offer.

Guide dogs; restaurant owners reassured

Restaurant owners are reassured that the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has stated that assistance dogs are exempt from the usual hygiene rules which apply to dogs, including in areas where food and drink are served. Guide dogs are well groomed and are trained to sit at their owner’s feet, not climb on seats or bother other customers. The CIEH have produced an article - visit this link (opens new window). For further information please visit the guide dogs website (opens new window).

Outdoor and Mobile Catering

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) have produced a national guidance for outdoor and mobile catering, although this guidance is primarily aimed at environmental health professionals you may find information within the guidance useful. The guidance provides information on food safety and health and safety requirements for catering at outdoor events and is available in electronic format only at the CIEH website (opens new window).

Legislation updates

Earlier in 2010 the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) remit changed. Food standards work, such as labelling has moved to Defra (opens new window), and nutrition and dietary health work for England has moved to the Department of Health (opens new window). The FSA have produced a food law guide which covers legislation in the UK and can be accessed by the following link to the Food Standards Agency website food law page (opens new window).

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. Click on the following link for further information about importing food on the Food Standards Agency website importing goods page (opens new window).

Smoke free

» Find out about Smoke free legislation

Contact details

Commercial Services Team
Public Protection & Safety Division
Environment Services Department
Hammersmith & Fulham Council
6th Floor, Town Hall Extension
King Street, London 
W6 9JU

Telephone: 020 8753 1081
Fax: 020 8753 3922
Email: commercialservices@lbhf.gov.uk