Licensing and food guidance
Under National Lockdown restrictions, hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs must; with the exception of providing food and drink for takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery
Take-away service
If you own or operate a pub or wine bar, or a dine-in restaurant or cafe then you are now able to operate a hot and cold food takeaway service without going through the usual planning process.
If you are intending to operate as a takeaway then you are required to notify the council that you are operating but do not need prior approval. Operators may also have to notify their landlords to operate in this way, depending upon their lease arrangements. When the takeaway use stops (on or before 23 March 2022) the land and buildings return to their former lawful use. This timeframe was extended for a further year by the Government in November 2020.
See the full details of the announcement
We have also issued an additional advice for business converting to takeaway use below.
Hospitality businesses
We have issued additional below.
This guidance document seeks to provide information and guidance to businesses within the hospitality sector. It should not be read in isolation and businesses are encouraged to continue to take note of government’s, other agencies’ and industry associations’ advice.
This guidance consolidates a number of documents that were produced prior to the opening of the hospitality sector. It has also been updated to reflect the new Business and Planning Act 2020 which relaxed the provision of off-sales in alcohol licensed premises for the purposes of outside service and introduced a new fast-track Pavement Licensing regime.
Food businesses
The Food Standards Agency has guidance for food businesses looking to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sector guidance has been provided to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely in the food sector.
Further guidance has also been produced to assist Food Business Operators when a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the workplace results in a requirement to cease operations.