Registration and inspection of food premises in West Dorset
There are around 1,400 registered food businesses in West Dorset including shops, takeaways, restaurants, small manufacturing premises and mobile snack vans.
Food safety law requires all food businesses to register 28 days before starting food operations. Registration is free and only needs to be done once, unless there are any changes of circumstances (such as a change of food business operator or in the type of food handled or prepared). Please click on the link to the right to download a registration form.
Food businesses are inspected on a regular basis, normally without prior warning. The frequency of inspection depends on risk to food safety found during previous inspections.
Members of the Food Safety Team are happy to offer assistance and advice to businesses to help them meet their legal obligations and generally enjoy a very good working relationship with business proprietors.
However the council has an overall duty to protect the public and where conditions are found to have fallen below the accepted legal minimum, more formal action or even prosecution may need to be considered.
West Dorset District Council acts as the home authority for a number of businesses in the area. This means that we will help other councils from around the country when dealing with products manufactured at the premises in our area.
It also means that we work on a partnership basis with the business concerned, advising them on and approving their various food safety management systems.
The following information table includes links to Business Link (opens in a new window) which allows applications and payments to be made online after registering with Business Link.
| How to apply |
Apply for registration of a food business establishment (opens in a new window)
Tell us about a change to your existing circumstances (opens in a new window) |
| Failed application redress | Please contact your local authority in the first instance. |
| Licence holder redress | Please contact your local authority in the first instance. |
| Consumer complaint | We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you, preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK,
Consumer Direct (opens in a new window) |
| Other redress | For example noise, pollution etc. Also should one licence holder complain about another. |
| Trade associations |
Chilled Food Association (opens in a new window)
National Federation of Meat and Food Traders (opens in a new window)
Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) (opens in a new window)
Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) (opens in a new window) |
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Food safety management systems
All food businesses have to put a food safety management system in place and provide simple documentation of their arrangements for making sure that food sold to customers is safe.
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Scores on the Doors
Publishing food safety and hygiene risk ratings in West Dorset.
