Planning, Legislation & Regulation

The downloads and links on this page can help you find information on recent laws and legislation to help support your business. 

Click on the topics below or scroll down to read more:
Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing
Caravan & Campsite Licences
Employment
Fire Safety Regulations
Food Safety Regulations
Healthy and Safety Regulations
Holiday Cancellation & Travel Insurance
Music Regulations
Planning Permission & Building Regulations
Smoking Regulations
Television Licensing for Tourism Businesses
Traffic Signs for Tourim Businesses

• Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing
  Licensing Authorities (usually local authorities) are responsible for licensing the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and the provision of late night refreshment in England and Wales. If you are carrying on any of these activities, you will need the relevant authorisation and should speak to your local licensing authority. To search for your local authority, click here.
  back to top

• Caravan & camp site licences
  As well as planning permission, caravan and camp sites require a licence. Local Authorities issue licences and often attach conditions covering health and safety issues such as fire safety, drainage and distances between caravans. To apply for a licence or to find out if specific conditions are attached to your existing licence contact your local authority.
  
  The Environment Agency has also developed a flood preparation guide specifically for caravan and campsite owners in the South West. To download the document click here. 
  back to top

• Employment
  Information on employing staff can be found on the Business Link website.
  The following documents containing advice on employment are provided by Tozers Solicitors:
  How to Handle a Redundancy (PDF)
  Migrant Workers (PDF)
  Consulting Employees (PDF)
  Employing Illegal Workers (PDF)
  National Minimum Wage (PDF)
  back to top

• Fire Safety Regulations
  Fire safety law and guidance documents for businesses can be found on communities.gov.uk
  The Accommodation Providers: Complying with Fire Safety Law PDF document may also be interest.
  back to top

• Food Safety Regulations
  If you plan to sell food and drink you must be registered with your local authority. To find contact details for your local authority, click here.
  Legally you must also comply with the Food Safety Act 1990.
  The Food Standards Agency (FSA) website contains a wide range of useful resources to help you comply with the Food Safety Act.
  back to top

• Healthy and Safety Regulations
  Information to help you ensure you provide adequate health and safety for your staff and customers can be found on the Business Link website.
  Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the body responsible for health and safety legislation in this country. Their website offers a wide range of information and resources to help you comply.
  back to top

• Holiday Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  FSA Insurance Regulations Made Easy (PDF) provided by World First Travel.
  back to top

• Music Regulations
  If you play recorded music in public (that is to say, in any commercial / business context), you may be legally required to get a license from Phonograph Performance Ltd (PPL) and the Performing Rights Society (PRS For Music). For further information and costs please visit these websites:
  PPL
  PRS for Music
  Also of interest may be an answer provided by Michelmores Solicitors to a question posed in March 2009 in our ‘Ask the Expert' section. Click here to view the response.
  back to top

• Planning Permission & Building Regulations
  You may need to obtain planning permission from your local authority if you need to; extend or alter an initial property; change an external appearance of a building; build new premises; or change a buildings use (e.g. to change it from a residential property to guest accommodation).  Business Link provide an online guide about planning permission, to view click here.
  To find contact details of your local authority, click here.
  back to top

• Smoking Regulations
  On July 1st 2007, England introduced a new law to make virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England smoke-free. 
  smokefreeengland.co.uk provides information about the legislation and lets you know how you can play an important part in maintaining a smoke-free England.
  back to top

• Television Licensing for Tourism Businesses
  If you run a hotel or provide mobile units of overnight accommodation, you can benefit from a reduced-fee hotel and mobile units TV Licence. For more information visit tvlicensing.co.uk
  back to top

• Traffic Signs for Tourim Businesses
  Brown and White road signs - Advice on traffic signs for tourism businesses in England can be found on the Highways Agency website.
  back to top

Can't find the information you need?

Visit our Ask the Expert section and pose your question to our industry experts.

Do you work in Hospitality, Catering, Food Retail or Food Manufacture?

If so, this is an important chance to voice your opinions and let government know what your business needs to prosper. More...

Accommodation Know How - The Pink Booklet Online
This website provided by VisitBritain contains advice on legislation and resources that can help with running your accommodation business. This service is FREE to all online accommodation businesses that are quality assessed by VisitBritain or available through subscription.

Business Link
Business Link is the government's free business advice and support service, available online and through local advisers.