Cookstown District Council
Environmental Health
Starting Business
Helpful information for starting a new Food Business
(1) Obtain planning approval for new building or change of use for existing building - Contact Divisional Planning Office, Omagh ( Tel:028 82 254 000).
(2) A copy of any plans should be forwarded to the Environmental Health Department to assess structural and layout arrangements. Should any structural work or alterations be required, Council's Building Control Department should also be notified (Tel: 028 867 62205).
(3) Contact the Environmental Health Department to seek advice on types of surface finishes, equipment required, storage arrangements, ventilation requirements, drainage arrangements etc. The Environmental Health Officers will be happy to visit your proposed food business to give you on-site advice, information and technical guidance.
(4) Register your food business at least 28 days before you start operating - for Registration Form (please click).
(5) All food handlers must be trained to an appropriate level. Those staff who prepare open high risk foods must have training to a level equivalent to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
(6) A Hazard Analysis must be carried out for your food operation. This means that you have to identify all steps in the activities of your food business which are critical to ensuring food safety, and put in place effective measures to control and monitor these arrangements. You are expected to exercise a high standard of cleanliness and personal hygiene.
(7) Ongoing assistance and monitoring of your food business will be provided by a member of the Environmental Health Officer's team.
