# New Coffee Business



## Chilspe (Aug 2, 2014)

Hi All,

Myself and my colleague have purchased a Piaggio Porter and are looking to start selling coffee and Shmoo as soon as possible (milkshake drink made by Dinkum). All we are looking to sell is coffee and milkshakes and possibly some pre-packaged muffins, flapjacks etc so no food preperation.

We have been told that we need the following before we are operating legally:

1) Register with your Local Authority

2) Get the right Licenses to Trade

3) Register as a Business

4) Do a Risk Assessment / HACCP

5) Get Food Hygiene / Food Safety Training

6) Get the right Insurance

7) Get a Gas Safety Certificate

8) Get an Electrical Certificate

9) Operate a Food Safety Management System / Due Diligence System

Question 1) We will predominantly be attending private events e.g. festivals, farmers markets, car boot sales so do we need a street trading license? If not what do we need? If so as we will be travelling all over the country how does this work when a license is specific to a local authority? Or is a pedlar's license sufficient?

2) Do we need to do a risk assessment and where is the cheapest to attain if so?

3) Do we need gas and electrical safety certificates?

4) Do we need Food Safety Management System / Due Diligence System?

We have undertaking the research but just want to clarify these q'ns with people in the know. Ultimately we want to start as soon as possible so all information would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Chilspe said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Myself and my colleague have purchased a Piaggio Porter and are looking to start selling coffee and Shmoo as soon as possible (milkshake drink made by Dinkum). All we are looking to sell is coffee and milkshakes and possibly some pre-packaged muffins, flapjacks etc so no food preperation.
> 
> ...


1) Register with your Local Authority (doesn't hurt to do this)

2) Get the right Licenses to Trade (I don't think so if it's all private events, at least not when I ran a catering van with a friend 30 years ago)

3) Register as a Business (Yes)

4) Do a Risk Assessment / HACCP (probably, you might find on line forms for this to do yourself)

5) Get Food Hygiene / Food Safety Training (don't think so)

6) Get the right Insurance (yes)

7) Get a Gas Safety Certificate (yes if you use gas)

8) Get an Electrical Certificate (yes if you use mains electricity or a generator, no for 12V)

9) Operate a Food Safety Management System / Due Diligence System (yes)

I would add that even though you don't prepare food at the moment and only serve beverages a health and Hygene certificate would be well advised. it's very easy to get for your type of operation and will actually guide you into some good practices..


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

One of the best resources you will come across for this is http://www.ncass.org.uk/


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

You really need to be talking to the council about this, not some people on a forum.

You absolutely do need all the same paperwork as if you were in a retail shop, this includes food safety level 2 and having a documented management system (I think HACCP covers this, but SFBB is also worth considering). Around here vendors like yourself tend to register their home address, and the council will come inspect your equipment / van / management system there.

FWIW there are so many places offering coffee in the way you propose now, I'd really urge you to do some proper coffee training and buy decent beans from a decent roaster so you stand out from the crowd. Too many people just buy rubbish coffee and have no idea what they are doing. OK some of your audience is captive and may have no choice, but by offering the best coffee possible then maybe someone will then book you for their event.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Ok here is some advice from a perspective of being the person to hire/check traders out for private and council funded events. I spent a long time production managing events and so any matters of equipment safety and certification were my responsibility.

Regarding licenses to trade any event on council owned property is likely to want you have the requisite trading licenses, 99% of local councils will accept licenses from other local authorities and not require you to get a separate license from them just for an event, there are one or two local authorities that don't operate this type of reciprocal arrangement most notably Wigan and Leigh.

Any event will require you to have public liability insurance, it's best to get insured for the sum of £5 million for this, as some places will require £3 million and others £5 million and getting a one off extension for an event can work out more expensive than just getting the £5 million cover in the 1st place. Arthur Doodson an insurance broker in Manchester are a good one stop shop for all insurance needs for anyone in the events business.

Event organisers or their hired event managers will require you to produce evidence of your licenses, insurance and safety certificates, as if something untoward does happen and if they haven't done the proper checks then their arse is in the firing line.

Anything that plugs into a 13 amp plug socket or Ceeform will require a current PAT (Portable Appliance Test) certificate, whether you are running of an inverter connected to a battery or a generator. If you intend to purchase your own generator it is worthwhile noting that a lot of local authorities and their event licensing bodies will require that no petrol fuelled generators are to be used at events as they are seen as a high safety risk- in the past I have seen people refuelling petrol generators whilst running ans smoking a cigarette at the same time.

You will also need appropriate fire extinguishing equipment i.e. in your case CO2 or dry powder and maybe a fire blanket as well.

As you are going to be using milk then you will need the food and hygiene stuff as you will need to track your refrigerated items, plus selling soft drinks in bottles or cans is also a useful sideline.

The HSE publish a useful book called the Event Safety Guide colloquially known as the "purple book" as the cover is purple your local main library should either have a copy or be able to get hold of one for you to read, this will tell you what your statutory responsibilities are and also let you see where the event organisers are coming from as well.


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## Chilspe (Aug 2, 2014)

That's all really great advice. Thanks guys!!!


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