Running a café: the contracts and checks you need

A café runs on more than coffee. Behind the counter sits a set of regular contracts and checks, most of them driven by a legal duty. This page lists them in one place, says where each duty comes from, and links to the official guidance and to local businesses who provide each service. It is written for England; rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can differ, so check with your council. It is a checklist, not legal advice.

1. Register as a food business

Council guidance says to register with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading, and to tell the council if you are taking over an existing business. Most councils use the online form at register.food.gov.uk.

2. Pest control

The Food Standards Agency says effective pest control is essential to keep pests out of your premises. Its guidance is to check your premises regularly, check deliveries and refuse any with signs of pests, and keep outside areas tidy with bins that close. It lists employing a pest control contractor as one option, and says to call a pest contractor immediately if you see signs of an infestation. Find pest control near you.

3. Waste collection and paperwork

Council guidance on the waste duty of care says business waste must only be collected by a registered waste carrier, every collection needs a waste transfer note describing the waste, and records of transfers must be kept for at least two years. Ask a collector for their carrier registration number and check it before you sign. Find waste management firms near you.

4. Fire safety

GOV.UK says the person responsible for a workplace must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment, and keep a written record of it. The assessment covers things like fire fighting equipment and fire detection and warning systems. Many cafés use a service contract for extinguishers and alarms. Find fire safety firms near you.

5. Gas appliances in the kitchen

HSE's guidance for catering says employers must make sure gas appliances, flues, pipework and safety devices are maintained in a safe condition, that gas work is done only by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and that annual inspections are a reasonable minimum, following the manufacturer's recommendations. Ask to see the engineer's Gas Safe ID card. Find gas engineers near you.

6. Washrooms

HSE's guidance for employers says adequate toilet facilities include toilet paper and, for female employees, a means of disposing of sanitary dressings. Most cafés meet this with sanitary bins emptied on a contract. Find washroom and hygiene services near you.

Keep the paperwork together

Keep your food registration, waste transfer notes, fire risk assessment, gas inspection records and service visit records in one place. They are the first things an inspector or insurer asks to see.

Sources (checked 16 October 2026)

• Ashfield District Council: registering a food business: register at least 28 days before trading.
• Food Standards Agency: Safe Method, Pest Control: pest control.
• Bassetlaw District Council: business waste and your duty of care: registered carrier, transfer notes, records for two years.
• GOV.UK: Fire safety in the workplace: fire risk assessment and written record.
• HSE: Gas safety in catering and hospitality (CAIS23): gas appliance maintenance, Gas Safe engineers, annual inspection.
• HSE: Welfare at work (INDG293): means of disposing of sanitary dressings.