Can I open a Cafe -Deli shop under A1licence?t i

[Nibiru76]

Hi guys,
I am new in the forum and I ve registered because information given here is more precise than the information given from the council.Ive phoned council 4times and I have received 4 different opinions.Let's start from the beginning.Me and my wife want to open a coffee shop,selling cakes,sandwiches,coffee,tea and some pastries.We are not intending to serve hot food,we are not intending to have ducts on the premises.All we want to have there is a oven,toaster and microwave.We'd like to do a proper coffee shop ,but as we understand with A1licenceretail, we may have a problems later from the council,because the food will be eaten on the premises.That's why we decided to make a mixed,cafe-deli shop.So the question is,,how many chairs we will be allowed to put in the shop,,? And the other one is how ,,Costa,,some Italian chains are working under A1 license?There is an application form from the council to ask them,but it takes 6to 8 weeks,and noone will wait to get the answer and then to lease the property.I mean that there is a property now with A1 licence and we want to lease it ,but we are hesitating just because of these future problems(not getting permission for chairs or advice to get A3 licence.Landlord on the other hand is saying that is all right to do a deli cafe shop.Forgot to tell you that the premises is privately owned. Do I really need a planning permission or any permission from the council?

 

[Twoscoops]

Hi there, some of your questions I can't answer, but I will say that when I opened my current shop my original plan was for mixed cafe/deli. My landlord agreed that I could apply for A3 and I phoned the council who verbally told me that because there were other cafes in the street then they wouldn't object to the application. I also got them to write to me explaining the same.

I didn't apply for A3 in the end as I decided on deli only, but someone on the council may be able to write to you and tell you that it is possible to apply in retrospect (I really don't know if you can).

My council's policy states that to preserve the retail frontages on the street then cafes must display products for sale in the windows. And then Costa opened up a few doors down…only chairs and tables in the windows!!!

 

[Nibiru76]

The problem is that this is Barnet council in London and in this area,there are not such cafe-delis shops.Another thing is that while I am waiting for response from the council ,someone else will take the shop.And the last thing,fact that 4 people from planining department from council are giving 4 different opinions is confusing me even more.As I read they are no clear boundaries between this,but on the other hand they are saying that food must be consumed off the premises.They are plenty coffee shops which are working,but food is consumed on the premises.Is absolutely never ending circle of opinions.

 

[Twoscoops]

You can go ahead and make an offer. If it is accepted you can make the completion conditional of A3 being granted, if you are able to wait that long. Your solicitor can advise you on this.

 

[Nibiru76]

Yes but the problem is that landlord does not permit to change the licence to A3,and maybe they will not give me A3.Lets say that A3 is not be given. Can cafe-deli or patisserie work under A1 licence? Thats the question

 

[Twoscoops]

Have a look here:

http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/planning-a1a2a3-what-is-required.aspx

This is from an internet search and may be useful. If your landlord won't permit it, why would you consider applying for it?

 

[Nibiru76]

Thank you,
I already read that before. I want to lease the shop because it is in good location and we like everything in it. One property agent told us that most of the shops in crouch End in London are working under A1 licence.The trich is that you need to present that your main business is retail,and then you ca use it as a coffee shop as well/I mean that staff we sea re intending to sell should be advertised on the window,and then we can put some chairs at thw back.The boundaries are very blurred and if we do that we will not have a problem with thw council.That is what he told us.Thats the other reason we want to lease the shop but before that i am trying to find out is that true.:ike i said i ve got 4 different opinions from the council))