Food, Drink & Hospitality

Late Night Levy for licensed premises

Understanding the Late Night Levy for alcohol premises trading between midnight and 6am, including rates by rateable value, available reductions, and how it interacts with EMROs and Cumulative Impact Policies. England and Wales only.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Temporary Event Notice (TEN)

Give a Temporary Event Notice to your local authority to carry out licensable activities at a temporary event. Covers eligibility limits, the notice process, police and environmental health objections, and late TENs.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Apply for an alcohol premises licence in Scotland

Step-by-step guide to obtaining a premises licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including operating plans, Licensing Board applications, and premises managers.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Personal licence (alcohol)

Obtain a personal licence to authorise and supervise alcohol sales in England and Wales. Covers the accredited qualification, DBS checks, application process, and your ongoing responsibilities as a personal licence holder.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Apply for a club premises certificate

How qualifying clubs (social clubs, sports clubs, working men's clubs) can apply for a certificate to supply alcohol to members without needing a DPS or personal licence holder.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Hospitality sector market overview

Market size, growth trends, investment opportunities, and key statistics for the UK hospitality sector including employment, business counts, and economic contribution.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Running an Airbnb in Scotland legally

Plain-English guide for new short-term let hosts covering all the legal requirements for running an Airbnb or holiday let in Scotland, including the mandatory licensing scheme, safety conditions, fees, planning, and penalties.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Get a short-term lets licence in Scotland

Complete guide to Scotland's mandatory short-term lets licensing scheme including licence types, mandatory conditions, and application process.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Operating in a short-term let control area

Additional planning requirements in designated short-term let control areas in Scotland, including Edinburgh and parts of Highland.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Holiday let safety requirements and compliance

Health and safety requirements for self-catering holiday accommodation. Covers fire safety, gas safety, electrical safety, legionella prevention, risk assessment, record keeping, and building a compliance pack for inspections.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Run a campsite, caravan site or holiday park

Outdoor accommodation runs on a site licence from the local authority, then layers of safety duties that scale with what you offer — pitch electrics, private water supplies, pools and waterslides, and adventure activities for under-18s each bring their own regime. This guide covers the site itself; food, alcohol and employment route onward.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Run a residential mobile home park in Scotland: the Part 1A site licence

What the operator of a park where people live permanently in mobile homes must do in Scotland: apply to the local council for a Part 1A site licence, pass the fit and proper person test, keep to licence conditions, and protect residents' rights under the Mobile Homes Act 1983.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Run a hotel, B&B or guest house

Serviced accommodation carries duties most other businesses never meet — strict liability for guests' property under the Hotel Proprietors Act 1956, a legal duty to keep records of every guest aged 16 or over, and premises safety obligations that are stricter wherever people sleep. This guide covers the duties that attach to letting rooms, and routes onward for food, alcohol and employment.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Register your visitor accommodation in Wales

Step-by-step guide to registering visitor accommodation with the Welsh Revenue Authority by 31 March 2027, as required by the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Specialist hospitality licences and permissions

Gaming machines, civil wedding venues, tourist accommodation registration, HMO licensing and other specialist permissions for hospitality businesses with specific activities or business models.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food and drink business licensing and compliance

Navigate the complete range of licences, registrations, certifications, and consents required for food and drink businesses across production, sales, export, and environmental compliance.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Late night refreshment licence

Understand when you need authorisation to supply hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am. Covers what counts as late night refreshment, exemptions, local authority deregulation powers, the application process, and devolved nation differences.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food and drink regulations and traceability

Comply with HFSS labelling, traceability requirements, alcohol duty obligations, packaging regulations, waste disposal, and animal by-products rules.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Get a personal licence to sell alcohol in Scotland

How to obtain a Scottish personal licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including the SCPLH qualification, Disclosure Scotland check, application process, fees, renewal, and refresher training requirements.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Alcohol licensing requirements

How to obtain a premises licence to sell alcohol in England and Wales, including application process, fees, designated premises supervisor requirements, and licensing objectives.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Register as an alcohol wholesaler (AWRS)

If you sell alcohol to other businesses, you must register under the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) with HMRC. Learn who needs to register, how to apply, and due diligence obligations.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Minimum unit pricing compliance for alcohol retailers

How to calculate and apply minimum unit pricing for alcohol sales in Scotland, including enforcement and penalties.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Get approved and pay duty as an alcohol producer: beer, spirits, wine and cider

If you brew beer, distil spirits, make wine or cider, ferment other products or malt grain, you must hold an HMRC Alcoholic Products Producer Approval (APPA) before you start producing. This guide walks you through getting approved, submitting duty returns, registering as a wholesaler, claiming Small Producer Relief, protecting a geographical indication, licensing a taproom and controlling grain dust in malting.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Alcohol licensing in Northern Ireland

How alcohol licensing works in Northern Ireland — court-granted licences, 5-year renewal, 13 licence categories, permitted hours, and the role of PSNI.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Alcohol licensing in Scotland

How alcohol licensing works in Scotland under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 — five licensing objectives, Licensing Boards, premises and personal licences, occasional licences, overprovision, and minimum unit pricing.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Premises licence (alcohol)

Apply for a premises licence to sell or supply alcohol from your business in England and Wales. Covers the application process, fees, the four licensing objectives, mandatory conditions, and what happens after you receive your licence.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Doing business in Northern Ireland: key differences from Great Britain

Comprehensive reference of the key regulatory divergences between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Covers employment law, equality legislation, planning, business rates, health and safety, product standards, alcohol licensing, fire safety, and the Windsor Framework dual regulatory regime.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Northern Ireland business compliance checklist

A quick compliance checklist for businesses operating in Northern Ireland. Covers NI-specific obligations including fair employment monitoring, HSENI registration, fire safety, business rates, and other requirements that differ from Great Britain.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Alcohol licensing in Northern Ireland: court-granted licences

How Northern Ireland's court-based alcohol licensing system works, including the 13 licence categories, 5-year renewal requirement, the role of the PSNI, the surrender principle, permitted hours, and how the system differs from England, Wales, and Scotland.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Appoint and manage a Designated Premises Supervisor

Every premises licence authorising alcohol sales must name a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). Learn about the DPS role, how to appoint one, and when you can apply for an exemption.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises

Licence reviews and enforcement action

How premises licence reviews work, who can trigger them, what happens at a hearing, possible outcomes including suspension and revocation, and your right of appeal.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises, or if you put on entertainment for an audience - live or recorded music, plays, dance, films or indoor sport

Premises licence: how to apply

How to apply for a premises licence to sell alcohol, provide late night refreshment, or offer regulated entertainment in England and Wales. Covers the four licensing objectives, fee bands, and the representations and hearings process.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises, or if you put on entertainment for an audience - live or recorded music, plays, dance, films or indoor sport

Responsible alcohol retailing

Checklist of mandatory conditions and best practices for responsible alcohol retailing — Challenge 25, refusal logs, staff training, irresponsible promotions ban, and more.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises

Transfer a premises licence to a new owner

How to transfer a premises licence when buying or taking over licensed premises in England and Wales. Covers the transfer application, obtaining consent, immediate effect requests, interim authority notices, and what to do when the licence holder has died or become insolvent.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises, or if you put on entertainment for an audience - live or recorded music, plays, dance, films or indoor sport

Vary your premises licence

How to apply for full and minor variations to your existing premises licence — change hours, layout, activities, or conditions.

Applies if you sell or serve alcohol from your premises, or if you put on entertainment for an audience - live or recorded music, plays, dance, films or indoor sport

Get authorisation for a water activity in Scotland (EASR)

How to get authorisation for any activity affecting surface water or groundwater in Scotland — abstraction, impoundment, engineering in or near a water body, and discharges. Since 1 November 2025 water activities are authorised under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR), which replaced the Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR 2011) framework. Covers the four-tier authorisation system (General Binding Rules, notification, registration, permit), pre-application advice, fees, and enforcement, all administered by SEPA.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Landlord safety duties for rented homes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: alarms, electrics, deposits and shared houses

What a landlord or accommodation provider must do about smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, electrical safety, tenancy deposits and shared-house licensing when the property is in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Each nation has its own law, its own enforcer and its own penalty.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Convert farm buildings to holiday accommodation

How to get planning permission, meet building regulations, and understand the post-April 2025 tax treatment when converting agricultural buildings to holiday lets. Covers Class Q permitted development, fire safety requirements, and the impact of FHL tax regime abolition on farm diversification.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Set up camping or glamping on your farm

How to comply with planning permission, licensing, and safety requirements when offering camping or glamping on agricultural land. Covers the 60-day exemption, caravan site licensing, and glamping-specific regulations.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Food safety compliance checklist

Quick verification checklist for food business operators. Covers registration, HACCP, temperature control, allergens, training, record keeping, and premises hygiene.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food safety training for your staff

Food hygiene certificates are not a legal requirement -- UK law requires competency, not certificates. This guide explains what training your food handlers actually need, available course levels, and how to demonstrate compliance during inspections.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Prepare for a food hygiene inspection

Use this checklist to prepare your food business for an environmental health inspection. Covers the three areas inspectors score, documentation you need ready, common failures, and what happens after the inspection.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food handler training requirements

Legal training requirements for food handlers - training is mandatory, but certificates are not. Understanding the competency-based approach and debunking the certificate myth.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food hygiene and HACCP

Implement food safety management procedures based on HACCP principles.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food labelling requirements

Label prepacked food correctly with all mandatory information.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food safety and hygiene requirements

HACCP-based food safety management systems, allergen labelling requirements including Natasha's Law, and food business registration for hospitality operators in the UK.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food safety management systems and HACCP

Implement HACCP-based food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Music and entertainment licensing

TheMusicLicence requirements for playing background music, hosting live performances, and DJ events in hospitality venues including costs, what's covered, and how to comply with PPL PRS.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Allergen information requirements

Provide clear allergen information for all food you sell.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Appeal your food hygiene rating or request a re-rating in Wales

If you disagree with your food hygiene rating in Wales, you can appeal within 21 days, submit a right of reply, or request a re-rating visit after making improvements. This guide explains each option, the deadlines you must meet, and what fees apply.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Comply with mandatory food hygiene rating display in Wales

Wales is one of only two UK nations where displaying your food hygiene rating is a legal requirement. This guide explains how to comply with the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013, including where to display your sticker, your duty to provide rating information on request, what happens if you do not display, and what to do if you disagree with your rating.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Register and run a safe food and drink manufacturing business

The universal spine for food and drink manufacturers: the duties every site carries whatever it makes. It covers registering your food business, putting a HACCP-based food safety system in place, the hygiene rating inspection, allergen labelling, protecting your workers from hazards including flour and grain dust, employers' liability insurance, and your site's environmental, trade-effluent and packaging duties.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food and drink manufacturer: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your food or drink manufacturing business meets its obligations before a production run. Work through the universal items every manufacturer shares, then the product-specific sections for animal-origin products, alcohol, soft drinks, contaminant-risk food and animal feed. If you answer no to any item, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Meet food composition, contaminant and labelling controls

If you make processed food — bread, biscuits, confectionery, cocoa products, edible oils, coffee, spices, prepared meals or processed fruit and vegetables — you must keep contaminants and pesticide residues within legal limits and control the contaminants that form during processing. This guide takes you through monitoring contaminants and residues, getting novel foods and additives authorised, and meeting the special rules for infant formula and food for special medical purposes.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Get your animal-origin establishment approved: meat, poultry, fish and dairy

If you make products of animal origin — meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or dairy — you need establishment approval before you trade, not just food business registration. This guide takes you through getting each establishment approved, meeting animal-welfare competence at slaughter, handling animal by-products, and embedding product-specific safety controls.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Which hospitality rules apply to your business

Hospitality is regulated by what you serve and where guests sleep. Serving food brings registration and hygiene duties. Selling alcohol needs premises and personal licences. Offering beds brings fire, gas and guest-records duties that scale from a single B&B room to a holiday park. Work out which parts of the industry you operate in below, then follow the matching guidance.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Make soft drinks and bottled water: levy, recognition and water abstraction

If you make soft drinks or bottle natural mineral water, spring water or bottled drinking water, you face three obligations on top of the universal food-safety duties: the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on added-sugar drinks, formal recognition before you can market a product as natural mineral water, and a water abstraction licence if you take water from your own source. This guide takes you through each in turn.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Which food and drink manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every food and drink manufacturer starts the same way: register the food business with the local authority and prepare for a hygiene-rating inspection. After that the rules diverge sharply by what you make.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Holiday let food hygiene, employment and insurance

Food hygiene, employment law, insurance, and environmental duties for self-catering holiday accommodation. Covers food business registration, allergens, food hygiene ratings by nation, right to work checks, tips allocation, employer liability, and guest protection obligations.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Run an animal feed or pet food business: APHA registration, additives and feed controls

Making animal feed or pet food is regulated separately from human food. You register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) as a feed business operator, use only authorised feed additives at permitted levels, control the ruminant feed ban and other TSE cross-contamination risks, register your establishment for animal by-products if you use them, and label feed and pet food to its own statutory rules.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Get approved food establishment status in Wales

How to apply for approved establishment status through FSA Wales for businesses processing meat, dairy, fish, or egg products. Covers the application process, local authority and FSA Wales roles, premises requirements, conditional approval, identification marks, and ongoing compliance obligations under Regulation (EC) 853/2004.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Selling food online: labelling and safety requirements

Comply with distance selling rules when selling food online, including providing mandatory food information before purchase, allergen labelling at two points, and maintaining safe delivery temperatures.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food business registration

Register your food business with your local authority before starting operations.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Allergen control systems and Natasha's Law

Implement comprehensive allergen management systems and comply with Natasha's Law PPDS labelling requirements.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Register and run a food business

How to register your food business with your local authority, meet food hygiene requirements, and achieve a good food hygiene rating. Essential compliance for all food businesses including home-based and mobile.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Register a food business in Wales

How to register a food business with one of the 22 Welsh local authorities. Covers the Welsh-specific registration process, bilingual forms, what happens after registration, and key differences from the England registration system.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Food traceability, withdrawal, and recall

Maintain food traceability records using the one step back, one step forward principle, and follow the correct procedures if you need to withdraw or recall unsafe food.

Relevant across several parts of this sector.

Welfare at the time of killing in Wales and Northern Ireland: certificates and CCTV

What a slaughterhouse or other business that kills animals must do in Wales and in Northern Ireland. Each nation has its own 2014 Regulations enforcing Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009, its own competent authority, its own certificate rules and its own CCTV Regulations, with different dates.

Relevant to a specific activity in this sector.

Prepare for CMA enforcement action

What to expect if the Competition and Markets Authority or Trading Standards investigates your business for consumer protection breaches. Covers the investigation process, new direct fining powers from April 2025, undertakings, enhanced consumer measures, and how to respond effectively.

Applies if you sell goods or provide services to individuals for their personal use

Consumer rights compliance for service providers

How to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when providing services to consumers. Covers the reasonable care and skill standard, how your words become contractual terms, pricing, timescales, the repeat performance and price reduction remedies, and the contract terms you cannot lawfully exclude.

Applies if you sell goods or provide services to individuals for their personal use