{"id":901,"date":"2021-12-23T00:29:37","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T00:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uk.legalvision.com.au\/?p=901"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:42:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T23:42:34","slug":"start-cafe-restaurant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/start-cafe-restaurant\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Cafe or Restaurant in England and Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Suppose you have finally decided to start a restaurant or cafe in England and Wales. You are excited, but you also have questions about the <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/legal-considerations-food-beverage-startup\/\">legal formalities<\/a> you will need to follow before you open your doors. This article will briefly outline some general business tips cafe and restaurant owners should consider. It will then go on to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">commercial leases;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what licenses and certificates you will have to obtain; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the importance of business insurance.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your Business Plan<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All good cafes or restaurants start with a solid business plan &#8211; the more detail you can plan for, the better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a start, you should be prepared to answer specific questions about your cafe or restaurant business model, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how you will finance the up-front costs of the business;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what your sales and cost projections will be;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what your restaurant concept is \u2014 that is, what sort of ambience or vibe do you intend to have;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">who your target customer is;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how you will build, develop, and market your brand; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what employees you will need to hire.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, the financial elements of your business plan are of particular importance (not least because you are in the business of monitoring your clients\u2019 accounts). Therefore, you should consider your:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">need to seek outside investors up-front;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cash flow forecast;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">break-even analysis;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">profit and loss forecast; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">balance sheet forecast.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Start-Up Costs\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most businesses fail within the year because they do not adequately account for their upfront costs. Therefore, when you start as a cafe or restaurant owner, you must consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how much it will cost to rent the premises;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what sorts of equipment you will need, (e.g. gas ranges, espresso machines, vending machines, coffee grinders, storage hardware, counter equipment, serving equipment, and any office or accounting equipment);\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">licensing and certification fees;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">fees for legal or consulting services;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">websites and marketing fees;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">recruitment and training fees;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the cost of insurance policies;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">waste disposal;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">point of sale systems;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">phone, internet, and the cost of utilities like heating and gas; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the cost of your start-up inventory (such as coffee beans, alcohol and other beverages, and dry and refrigerated food).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 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       } else {            triggerPostRender();        }    } );} );\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-next\"><!-- scroll anchor --><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What Business Structure Will You Adopt?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The four most common business structures are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sole-trader;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">unincorporated partnership;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">limited company; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">limited liability partnership (LLP).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a cafe or restaurant owner, you should be especially aware of the implications of being a sole trader versus trading through an incorporated company, particularly as it relates to limiting your liability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--warning box--icon\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, as you will be hosting people on your premises and likely employing others, you could be held liable if someone is injured or killed on your property.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Incorporating your business through a company or an LLP could help limit your liability.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Know Your Tax Liability\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The amount you will pay in tax will depend on your business structure. Importantly, on-premises consumption of food or beverages such as alcohol is also subject to their own Value Added Tax (VAT).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Due to COVID, this exact rate has fluctuated significantly. Nonetheless, you should ensure you know how much you will need to pay <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/hm-revenue-customs\">HM Revenue Council<\/a> (HMRC) and when you should make your payments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Business Bank Account\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It could be a good idea to have a bank account in place before trading with suppliers and opening your doors to customers. Depending on what business structure you choose, you will want to consider what sorts of banking services you may need.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Commercial Leases\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deciding on your business location is a crucial step \u2014 as they say, a good location is key. However, regardless of where you choose to run your business, you will need to negotiate a lease for the premises (unless you intend to buy the freehold outright, which is unusual for new hospitality business owners).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lease agreement will largely govern the relationship between you and your landlord. At its most basic level, it proves your right to exclusive possession of the premises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Items to Negotiate<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The main thing to negotiate will be the rent. You should undertake thorough market research to ensure you understand the going rates for similar premises.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For commercial leases, payment is usually quarterly. However, you can negotiate more or less frequent payments.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--icon box--idea\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As you will likely want to decorate and modify the premises to your liking, you should ensure the lease permits alterations and improvements or if you will be liable to restore the premises upon the termination of the lease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other common terms you should negotiate include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">any service charges,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what insurance provisions you and the landlord will need to have in place;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which party is liable for keeping certain elements of the premises in repair; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to what extent you can sublease the premises or sell the lease to a third party.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You will also need to ensure you can actually operate a cafe or restaurant from the premises. Therefore, you may want a solicitor to review the property and liaise with the local authority.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regulations, Licenses, and Certifications<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you serve food or beverages on-site, there are many essential regulations in place designed to protect consumers. If you fail to abide by these regulations, you can be held criminally and civilly liable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regulations\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are several different laws in place to protect consumers. These laws are enforced by several different agencies, though local authorities enforce most regulations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In most cases, you will need to register with your local authority as part of these regulations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Licenses\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You will also need to check with your local authority to ensure that you comply with all licensing requirements, such as needing licenses to serve alcohol or stay open past a particular hour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Certifications\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Depending on what kinds of equipment you are operating in your new restaurant, you may need to obtain specific safety certificates. Usually, this is regulated by the local authority.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insurance\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insurance is a way to mitigate the risk of being held financially liable if something goes wrong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are three main kinds of insurance you will want to obtain:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">public liability insurance;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">employers\u2019 liability insurance; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">building &amp; contents insurance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public Liability Insurance\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because you will have customers (as well as possibly employees) in your business\u2019 premises, the law considers you to be an occupier. This makes you potentially liable for any injuries that happen in your restaurant or cafe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Therefore, public liability insurance can help you cover the cost of any claim made against you or your business if an injury or death occurs on your business premises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Employers\u2019 Liability Insurance\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you employ others, by law you must obtain employers\u2019 insurance.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This protects you and your employees from any injury or death that happens in the course of their employment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Building and Contents Insurance<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A good buildings and contents policy will protect your inventory and equipment from any damage caused by fire and flooding. It can also protect the premises itself from such damage. However, depending on your commercial lease, you may not find it necessary.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, depending on the policy, it can also protect from theft and criminal damage as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Firstly, you should make sure you have a well-organised business plan in place before you <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/cafe-owners\/\">open your cafe<\/a> or restaurant doors. Next, you will also want to consider how you will pay for your business, such as if you will raise money from outside sources. Other important factors to consider include what business structure you will use, what the important elements to negotiate in your commercial lease are, ensuring you understand all the licensing and regulatory requirements for the sale of on-premises food and beverages. Finally, you will want to ensure you have three key insurance policies in place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you need help with how to start your cafe or restaurant business, <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/business-lawyers-lp\">LegalVision&#8217;s business lawyers<\/a> can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or visit our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">membership page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequently Asked Questions\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1640219089207\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What do I need to start my cafe or restaurant business?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">From a general business perspective, you want to ensure you have a strong business plan and that you know how you will fund the first stage. From a legal perspective, you should familiarise yourself with licensing and certification requirements, what business structure is best for your cafe or restaurant, how to negotiate a commercial lease, and the importance of obtaining insurance.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1640219095063\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What are the main regulatory and licensing requirements for a bookkeeping business?\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">There are several key pieces of legislation and other pieces of regulation governing the sale and provision of food and drinks in England and Wales. However, most of the enforcement is regulated at the local level, which means the particulars differ depending on where you intend to open a cafe or restaurant. Regardless, you should ensure you are familiar with all applicable laws to avoid any civil or criminal liability.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Suppose you have finally decided to start a restaurant or cafe in England and Wales. You are excited, but you also have questions about the legal formalities you will need to follow before you open your doors. This article will briefly outline some general business tips cafe and restaurant owners should consider. It will then<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/start-cafe-restaurant\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;How to Start a Cafe or Restaurant in England and Wales&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13461,"featured_media":536,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"185741,182686,181622,185640,179644,180369","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[20,79,104,105,106],"class_list":["post-901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-startups","tag-small-business","tag-food-safety","tag-start-a-business","tag-startup-founder","tag-restaurant"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Start a Cafe or Restaurant in England and Wales | LegalVision UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you wanting to start a cafe or restaurant in the UK? 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He has completed a Law Degree, the Legal Practice Course and a Masters in Sports Law, specialising in Football Law.","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/author\/kieranram\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/start-cafe-restaurant\/#faq-question-1640219089207","name":"What do I need to start my cafe or restaurant business?\u00a0","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"From a general business perspective, you want to ensure you have a strong business plan and that you know how you will fund the first stage. From a legal perspective, you should familiarise yourself with licensing and certification requirements, what business structure is best for your cafe or restaurant, how to negotiate a commercial lease, and the importance of obtaining insurance.\u00a0","inLanguage":"en-GB"},"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/startups\/start-cafe-restaurant\/#faq-question-1640219095063","name":"What are the main regulatory and licensing requirements for a bookkeeping business?\u00a0","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"There are several key pieces of legislation and other pieces of regulation governing the sale and provision of food and drinks in England and Wales. However, most of the enforcement is regulated at the local level, which means the particulars differ depending on where you intend to open a cafe or restaurant. 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