Food

What is registration?

Registration of premises used for food businesses (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other movable structures) is required by law under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991 (www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1991/Uksi_19912825_en_1.htm) as amended.

Registration provides information about food premises in Medway so that the council's inspections can be planned and its enforcement resources used effectively. The information helps the council to inspect premises that present a high risk to health more frequently than those that only pose a low risk.

Who needs to register?

People who run a food business for five days or more in any five consecutive weeks, which involves storing, selling, distributing or preparing food, need to register as food premises. Food premises include:

• restaurants;
• hotels;
• cafes;
• shops;
• supermarkets;
• staff canteens;
• office kitchens;
• warehouses;
• guest houses;
• delivery vehicles;
• buffet cars on trains;
• market and other stalls;
• hot dog and ice cream vans, etc.

People who use vehicles for their food business in connection with permanent premises, such as a shop or warehouse, need only tell the council how many vehicles they have. It is not necessary to register each vehicle separately. If they have one or more vehicles but no permanent premises, they must register the vehicles at the premises where they are normally kept.

New food businesses must register at least 28 days before opening.

The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises are exempt from registration, although this does not mean that they are exempt from the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 (www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1990/Ukpga_19900016_en_1.htm) nor does it mean that they need not comply with food hygiene legislation.

How to register

Simply fill in a food registration form (pdf 68KB) and send it to Medway Council. Registration is a very simple process and does not need to be renewed periodically. The council cannot refuse to register premises.

To use this file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have it on your computer, please use our advice page.

All the boxes that apply to a business must be ticked and all questions answered to provide all the information requested. Seasonal businesses operating for a certain period each year should give the dates between which they will be open in answer to question nine.

It is an offence to give information which is known to be false.

What happens to the information on the form?

The council enters the details in the food register. The addresses and types of business carried out at each premises are open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided are not publicly available.

Changes

Once someone has registered, they only need notify Medway Council of a change of proprietor if the nature of the business changes or if there is a change of address at which movable food premises are kept. The new proprietor will have to complete an application form.

If the council wishes to change the entry in the register because of information it has received from someone else, a business will be given 28 days notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed change.

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