[bazzais]

If I wanted to make tea, coffee and sell soft drinks and pre-wrapped sweets  from a barn - I am aware I would need health and hygiene - but would I also need to contact the planners and get a change of use on the building - would the building then have to be inspected and upto modern standards even though the public would not be entering the building?

Would this type of operation involve business rates?

Would any of the above be needed if I just put a vending machine in a shed or a kettle and self service?

Ta

Barry

[john and helen]

have a look at these barry

http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/startingup/#.UjMheRbFs18

http://www.wrelearning.co.uk/Level1-Food-Safety-Retail#.UjMiIhbFs18

[bazzais]

Looks like its a vending machine and a microwave - not having the planners around again.

[happygolucky]

  We enquired but we are in a different situation, we could have got planning but had to have 2 disabled toilets and all sorts of things then I weighed up the costs and decided no, BUT.....I would have loved a vending machine, I bet you can get them on loan too!

[shygirl]

iv no idea but there are alot of instant coffee machines cropping up in odd places so it cant be too hard, such as garages/hairdressers etc
its a shame when a simple idea id caught up in red tape everytime.

[happygolucky]

Then if its not red tape its other people or gangs. I fancied a snack van but remember the ice cream wars and the hot dog wars......no stepping into others domains!!

[shygirl]

Then if its not red tape its other people or gangs. I fancied a snack van but remember the ice cream wars and the hot dog wars......no stepping into others domains!!

duncan bannatyne i believe....

[happygolucky]

I doubt they all threw an ice cream at each other ...the hot dog thing was actually near where I lived in Leicestershire...the man who had the hot dog stand (and other things  ) was shot at his house in Leics....

[Rosemary]

You could just do it and see what happens. If they shut you down, they shut you down - you haven't made a huge capital investment. What's the worst they can do to you?

[happygolucky]

You could just do it and see what happens

[john and helen]

You could just do it and see what happens. If they shut you down, they shut you down - you haven't made a huge capital investment. What's the worst they can do to you?

yep 100% 

[mowhaugh]

This made me think about the lovely lady with about 90 children on The Dales with Ade Edminson, who was selling cream teas to walkers, I often wondered if she had planning and so on, and if she didn't, if she they was pursued by the planners (or indeed HSE for having all her children on the quad at once) after appearing on TV.  Sorry that's a bit off topic, I just loved watching the bits with that family in, they were so nice and it made me feel better about how bonkers our life is!

[bazzais]

To be honest Rosemary, thats the idea we were going to run with - we cant afford the time to man the barn/shed all day so we were just going to have vending machines - but then sit in the shed maybe in the morning and the afternoon when most the campers want something and most of the walkers come through.  It could also double up as a payment area for the parking and the camping rather than them having to knock on the house door and then come searching around barns to find someone to pay

We want to have a small picnic area out the front overlooking the sea.  Bit late in the season now, but I have started to clear all the old equipment off the yard and trying to get some grass down for the end of the season and while its still a bit warm.

We will see how it goes for a year as its only passing trade and customers we would be selling too.  But it would be nice if we could get established and above board and make it a 'place to come visit' and advertise eventually.  Maybe even get some regulars?

It would be a shame to jump through hoops and pay lots of money to do it 'officially' then to only be worth the money of its own tickover and a bit of a lost cause, another one of my moneypit ideas..

It would be safer to go ahead if the demand was all year - but there are not many people mad enough to come for a walk or camp up here outside of the summer months.

We are looking in the first year to just cover the costs and not really make a profit from the campers as they are paying guests and part of the service - but it would be nice to aim it at some of the passers by and make a few quid to add to the coffers and keep the bankman and taxman happy.

We dont want a 'tea room' as such - just a place where adults can come and picnic, enjoy the views and get pestered by their children for all the lovely confectionary in my vending machine - pushing them to the brink and needing one of my lovrly coffees. lol

If I can get a £ out of every 10 walkers in the summer thats a few quid a day and it all adds up.

[HallePalomino]

Could you do an honesty box type of thing?

I know my bank has a Nespresso machine which I doubt they have permission for, but because it's not an actual vending machine, I'm assuming they don't need permission for it. It's just a small kitchen appliance that you happen to be keeping in the barn...

[bazzais]

Got me a vending machine - soon be selling cans of coke for £2.50 straight out of a multipack and re-filling my empty water bottles from the peckham springs lol