Register a food business

Overview

If you operate a food business in South Tyneside (including market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures) you must be registered with South Tyneside Council by law.

This allows the Council to keep an up-to-date list of all food premises in the area so we can visit them when we need to.

The amount of visits will depend on the type of business it is.

Anyone starting a new food business must register with the Council at least 28 days before opening.

Food business establishments

If you operate a food business, whether for profit or not, you must tell the Council about each one of your establishments that is involved in any production, processing or distribution of food.

Depending on where the establishments are, you may need to notify more than one local Council.

Food business establishments include:

restaurants
hotels
cafés
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

Register your vehicles

If you use vehicles for your food business in connection with permanent premises, such as a shop or warehouse, you only need to register the fixed premises.

You must also tell the Council 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 the Council where they are normally kept.

You do not need to register if:

you produce or prepare food for private domestic consumption only
you are a primary producer, for example, you grow fruit or vegetables
you operate a "product-specific" food business establishment which requires approval under Regulation 853/2004.

If you're unsure whether your business needs to be approved or registered, please contact Environmental Health on 0191 427 7000.

How to apply

Register online

Apply to change your registration

Apply to change your food premises registration

How long it will take to process your application

If you have supplied the information requested and your registration is accepted, your details will be added to the food premises register within 28 days.

You will then be contacted by a food team officer to arrange an initial visit to your premises.

Tacit consent

Tacit consent is where an application is treated as accepted if a reply is not recieved within a certain timeframe.

Tacit consent will apply.

As long as you have provided all the information requested, your details will be added to the food premises register.

Queries about your registration

For any queries about your registration, please contact Environmental Health on 0191 427 7000.

For more information about starting a food business see Food Standards Agency: Starting a food business.

If you have a complaint

If you have a complaint, we advise that you contact the trader, preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery).

If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, the Citizen's Advice Bureau will give you advice.

From outside the UK, contact the UK European Consumer Centre.