Approved Premises

Advice and guidance for food premises requesting approval, inspection and enforcement within approved premises and the granting of approvals of food business (full and conditional).

Your food business may require approval if your business makes, prepares or handles food of animal origin for supply to other businesses. Food of animal origin includes:

• Minced meat and meat preparations
• Meat products and mechanically separated meat
• Live bi-valve molluscs and fishery products
• Raw milk (other than raw cows’ milk)
• Dairy products
• Eggs (not primary production) and Egg products
• Frogs legs and snails
• Rendered animal fats and greaves
• Treated stomachs, bladders and intestines
• Gelatine and collagen
• Certain cold stores and wholesale markets

You cannot operate your food establishment until it has been approved. It is an offence to run an unapproved food premises and you can be prosecuted for doing so.  To obtain approval you will need to meet certain hygiene standards.

Exemptions

If the food business supplies food of animal origin to the final consumer only, i.e. the person who eats the food product, then they are exempt from approval.

Additionally there may be an exemption available depending on the extent to which the business wishes to supply food of animal origin to other businesses. If you are unsure if your business needs approval contact us.

How to Apply

You can apply online or by post. Along with the application form you will need to include:

• A detailed scale plan of the (proposed) establishment showing the location of rooms and other areas to be used for the storage and processing of raw materials, product and waste, and the layout of facilities and equipment

Plus a Description of the (proposed):

• Food safety management system based on HACCP principles
• Establishment and equipment maintenance arrangements
• Establishment, equipment , and transport cleaning arrangements
• Waste collection and disposal arrangements
• Water supply
• Water supply quality testing arrangements
• Arrangements for product testing
• Pest control arrangements
• Monitoring arrangements for staff health
• Staff hygiene training arrangements
• Arrangements for record keeping

Following receipt of all relevant documentation, we will need to make a site visit to your premises before making a decision on your application. An officer will contact you after receiving the completed application, in order to arrange this.

Refusal of Approval

In the event of the application being refused you will be notified of the reasons in writing and the matters necessary to satisfy approval requirements. You will also be advised of your right of appeal to the Magistrates Court.

Forms and Guidance