You must register a food business with us at least 28 days before opening.

Registration is free, quick and easy.

It is a legal requirement for all food businesses to have a food safety management system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Principles (HACCP). We recommend using a Safer Foods Better Business pack. However, you can write your own bespoke procedures.

• A free SFBB pack can be downloaded and printed from the FSA website: Safer food, better business (SFBB): SFBB Caterers, SFBB Retailers, SFBB Indian Cuisine, SFBB Chinese Cuisine in English, SFBB Childminders and SFBB Residential Care Homes

• Alternatively, the Council can provide you with a Catering SFBB pack for £22.50: Safer Food Better Business - Pack and Diary - Lancaster City Council; or 

• Online marketplaces such as 'Amazon' and 'e-bay' sell SFBB packs too.

You are responsible for ensuring that consumers receive accurate information regarding allergens. Identification of food that contains allergens is very important to those with food allergies as there can be potentially serious consequences of eating food that they are allergic to. This can also assist you when assessing whether the controls you currently have in place are effective and if any improvements can be made when dealing with customers who have food allergies or intolerances. 

• For further links to helpful information and local training options, please visit Allergen advice - Lancaster City Council

Hygiene - staff handling food must be supervised and trained in food hygiene to a level that is appropriate for the work that they do. Although it is not a legal requirement to attend a formal course, many food businesses find that this is the best way to ensure that their staff gain the knowledge required, in addition to on-the-job training. Therefore, we would expect staff in a supervisory role to have Level 2 Food Hygiene training if handling high-risk foods.

We are currently offering free level 2 food safety training in conjunction with Lancaster & Morecambe College! For details, please visit the food safety training section of our website.

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health also offer a Level 2 Hygiene e-learning course.

Allergens – Staff should also receive training in allergen awareness and controls

We are currently offering free level 2 allergen awareness in conjunction with Lancaster & Morecambe College! For details, please visit the food safety training section of our website.

Alternatively, you can access  Allergen Training via the FSA’s website.

An internet search for 'Food Safety Training’ or 'Food Allergen Training' will also list a number of other commercial providers.

You must make sure your food business meets specific labelling requirements. For more information, visit the Food Standards Agency - labelling guidance & Food Standards Agency - Labelling and Allergens

It is important to ensure that your food stocks and the food you prepare are protected from pests such as insects (cockroaches), rodents (Rats) and birds. As a food business operator, you must ensure that you undertake suitable pest proofing, monitor for and know how to identify signs of pest activity and know what action to take if pests are present.

• You can undertake the monitoring with suitable training & experience; however, without the correct competence/qualifications, you must not treat pests yourself, especially with poisons.

• The Council offers a commercial service to businesses, including pest control contracts and ad hoc work, called 'Unbugged' Home - Unbugged. For more information, to book a visit or to receive a quote, please contact environmentalhealth@lancaster.gov.uk
• See SFBB Pest Control

• An internet search for 'Commercial Pest Control' will list a number of other commercial providers.

Once inspected, all Food Businesses are rated between 0 and 5.

• 5 is top of the scale. This means the hygiene standards are very good and fully comply with the law.

• 0 is at the bottom of the scale, which means urgent improvement is necessary and may be subject to formal action from the local authority.

The score considers how food is handled, stored, and prepared, as well as assesses the safety management system and the cleanliness of the premises. You can read here: Food Hygiene Rating Scheme | Food Standards Agency

Once a business has been scored, the score is put on the national database: Search for ratings | Food Standards Agency

• Should you wish to receive pre-visit advice, we can tell you where improvements could help achieve a 5 rating this service is called Safer Food Direct for New Businesses - £195 (inc VAT). 

• If you do not get the score, you would have hoped for, a request for rescore can be made. The current fee for this is £250 Request for a Revisit – Lancaster City Council

Food platforms such as 'Just Eat' will only advertise businesses with a rating of 3 or more, so it's really important to get things sorted right from the start.

If you are planning to operate a mobile food business you must operate to high standards of food hygiene and safety. The guidance below will help you achieve the required standards.

• CIEH National Guidance for Outdoor & Mobile Catering
• Handwashing advice for mobile caterers (PDF, 1.5MB)

As a business, you have a number of duties under health and safety legislation to keep yourself, your employees and other visitors to your premises safe from harm. We have a page dedicated to health and safety in food businesses: Food preparation, cooking and service.

Food Waste

Food waste must be handled and disposed of correctly to prevent any issues. GOV UK Disposal of Catering Waste

• The Council offers a commercial waste collection service

• An internet search for 'Commercial Waste Removal' will list a number of other commercial providers.

Oils and Fats

The cooking oils and fats must not be poured down the drains or sewers because this causes blockages and attracts pests. You should appoint an approved waste collector to remove waste oils and fats.

We cannot recommend or endorse any company, you must choose a suitable for yourself, the following companies are known to collect waste oil in the Lancaster area:

• Olleco waste Oil 
• EnviroTech
• Oil Solutions 
• An internet search will also produce a list of waste oil collectors.

Find out whether your home improvement or commercial project needs planning permission or building regulations approval

You’ll probably need planning permission if you want to:

• build something new
• make a major change to your building, e.g. building an extension
• change the use of your building (e.g. from a retail shop to a takeaway)

Visit our Do I need planning permission? pages

If you plan to;

• Sell alcohol
• Sell hot food or drink after 11pm, or
• provide regulated entertainment 
• place tables and chairs on the higway

you will need to apply for a licence.

You may feel that you do not need any further help – that's fine! However, you may decide you want further advice.

We do not offer free advisory visits to food premises before the business opening. However, the Council does provide some commercial services at competative rates:

• Safer Food Direct for New Businesses - This is a food safety visit from a Food Inspector who will inspect your premises and offer bespoke advice. You will also receive the SFBB pack.
• New Business Starter Pack – This pack contains useful resources such as digital thermometers, probe wipes and the SFBB pack, with 1 hour of advice from a Food Inspector. 
• SFBB pack and diary - Simply the SFBB pack and diary.

• An internet search for 'Food Safety Consultants' lists other companies offering commercial food services.