Query on opening food outlet

L

lavenderlane

Guest
Hi there I have just found this site and hoping for your advice.

I currently sell home baking and other home produce such as chutneys etc through farmers markets. I have a commercial kitchen which is registered wih HSE for home style production. I have recently been offered a small retail premises to rent for a short term - less than one year. The rent is more than reasonable and in an excellent location.. It is currently vacant and was previously a non food outlet. Would I have to apply for planning permission for change of use to sell food? I am not producing on the premises and there will be no hot food sold and nothing will consumed on the premises. What would the implications be if I simply opened and started trading? All advice very gratefully received.......
 
Good For You and Well Done on Considering the Plunge.

Please consider the following before you proceed:

You're local county enterprise board have specific food speicalists that will help your business in terms of a plan at the very least.

An Board Bia have six full time professionals that help small food businesses such as your proposal (after 2.5m T/O transfers to even bigger team) - labelling, branding, content all important.

Its not enough just to do chutneys and breads - i think you need more of a USP (sorry - but there's a lot of this type of thing on the market)

Consider Do you need to rent - or would you be better building on direct mailing / internet / free sampling and keep your costs down. if you're not there who is? Would you be better off taking shelve space in a busier local store? This is what i do with chutneys and other christmas products.

After contacting County Enterprise Board and Board Bia, go visit Peter Ward in Nenagh, he owns country choice. He is the man you want to speak with too, and he will gladly help.

I hope this helps in some way
 
Thank you meatmonger I wasnt expecting a reply so soon. I will ring CEB and Bord bia tomorrow. I am familiar with Peter Wards reputation he seems to do an amazing job in Country Choice. I could expand my range quite significantly if I had an increased market and I would really like to make full use of my kitchen. This outlet would be a chance for me to test the market without paying huge rent or key money.. Anyway will keep you posted. Thanks again
 
If it does open after all that, send word.

then send some of your stuff to john and sally mc kenna.

good luck
 
ps,

look to invite other local producers into sharing store and increase local offering. make it a small co-operative, get in local media, showcase your town or village. Make it something people want to buy into.

I don't think you should go it alone. Peter Ward will tell you same thing.
 
In response to your planning query, if the retail unit was previously used as a shop (even if it sold goods which were non-food) then you are entitled to use it as a shop again, without the requirement to seek planning permission.

A shop is defined in the Planning and Development Regulations as follows:-

‘a structure used for any or all of the following purposes, where the sale, display or service is principally to visiting members of the public-

(a) for the retail sale of goods,
(b) as a post office,
(c) for the sale of tickets or as a travel agency,
(d) for the sale of sandwiches or other food or of wine for consumption off the premises, where the sale of such food or wine is subsidiary to the main retail use,
(e) for hairdressing,
(f) for the display of goods for sale,
(g) for the hiring out of domestic or personal goods or articles,
(h) as a launderette or dry cleaners,
(i) for the reception of goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired;

but does not include any use associated with the provision of funeral services or as a funeral home, or as a hotel, a restaurant or a public house, or for the sale of hot food for the consumption off the premises, except under (d) above.

Basically, a change in use between any of the retail uses listed above would be considered exempt development under class 1 of the Planning and Development Regulations and therefore planning permission would not be required. So you should be able to set up a shop to display and sell your goods without having to obtain planning permission, if the retail unit was previously used for any of the above retail uses.

However, should you wish to sell hot food for consumption off the premises then planning permission for a change of use would be required unless it is ‘for the sale of sandwiches or other food or of wine for consumption off the premises, where the sale of such food or wine is subsidiary to the main retail use’.
 
Can I thank you both for your replies they have been really helpful. Making good progress will keep you posted!
 
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