Food business guidance
The Food Standards Agency website provides detailed guidance for food businesses that includes how to get started and how to manage your business.
Safer food, better business (SFBB)
SFBB is a suitable Food Safety Management System for most smaller, standard catering and retail businesses. There are versions of the pack for different food providers which can be downloaded and completed, including:
COOK SAFE and Safe Catering are similar food safety management systems, which some businesses find more suited to their operations than SFBB.
Food businesses with more complex processes, and small manufacturing businesses, generally require a bespoke HACCP. The free web-based tool MyHACCP can be used to help develop these.
Trader guidance
Our food safety guidance for market traders and mobile food vendors/caterers document provides specific guidance on the food safety requirements for mobile food vendors.
You can also read our food safety management system for the production of bread, cakes and confectionery document for low-risk food preparation.
Other business issues
- the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has health and safety introductory guidance. See also Gas Safety advice issued by Gas Safe and the HSE.
- Business support and advice: please visit the business support and advice section of our website for further information, including advice on funding and grants, skills and training.
- Commercial waste: all businesses have a duty of care to store and dispose of waste legally. We offer a commercial waste and recycling service– please visit our page or call us on 01202 128 333 for more information.
- Street trading: you need consent to trade in many areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Many popular areas are designated as either ‘consent streets’ or ‘prohibited streets’.
- Planning: the planning section of our website provides information on planning requirements, including useful guidance on the Planning Portal for common projects involving shops and retail use.