Displaying your business name

[Alex K]

Hello all,

This is probably an easy one to solve as I'm sure anyone who has started a business has come across the problem.

I'm in the process of start-up and am trying to make sense of companies house law and advertising requirements for planning permission.

I will be opening a shop but I haven't chosen a business structure yet. I have decided that it will either be an LTD or an LLP.

The companies house says I have to display my name "AT" my registered office (the shop) in Chapter 7 of its guidance on LTDs.
Businesslink says I need to display the name outside the trading premises. The planning permission guidelines for advertisements say that you are permitted to display your name (Class2(B) advert) outside the building but are also allowed to display advertisements within 1m of any shop window and visible from outside (Class 12).

I will have 2 shop signs/fascias over each shop window (I have a shop on a corner with a window on each wall).

My question is whether I need to put LLP or LTD after my company name on my fascia signs or whether I can leave this off and have a smaller sign by the door or in the window stating the full name of the business.
If I am allowed to do this, then do I have to register the business name (without the LLP or LTD) as a trade name? e.g. XYZ trading as XYZ LLP or XYZ LTD? Would I also need separate planning permission for an external plaque or can i just put it in the window?

Or, can I just have a plaque with the full name on the wall inside the business? Would I still be compliant with companies house rules or do they mean outside the premises when they say "AT" the registered office?

I've looked around and found various companies who are registered with the companies house that don't seem to display LTD/LLP on their shop fronts. Some display LTD, others don't.

I never thought signs could be so confusing! I just want to get it right.

 

[Lime One]

It certainly does get confusing the more you need to consider it. The trading name is traditionally shown on premises- think of Pizza Hut.
Inside though and on all the menus you will see a display notice showing the full business name and the registered office address. This is normally at the point of sale where customers see it and on all business stationery etc.

Our link below shows what you need to do and the relevant legislation.

http://www.limeone.com/forumimages/mind your own business.pdf

 

[Alex K]

Thanks a lot Lime One. Your guide certainly cleared things up and the link to the relevant doc on the Companies House website was very useful.

I think I was suffering from reading too much - sometimes, the more you read, the more likely it is you'll mix up the different perspectives and get in a muddle.

Anyway, the upshot seems to be that I can display the full business name inside the premises (so long as all customers can see it) and I can display my trading name on the fascia. So I need to check whether I need to register my trading name with anyone; I know the bank will want to know it but I'm not sure if the companies house will. I'm sure this has been answered before so I'll look in the responses to earlier posts.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Gyumri]

Thanks a lot Lime One. Your guide certainly cleared things up and the link to the relevant doc on the Companies House website was very useful.

I think I was suffering from reading too much - sometimes, the more you read, the more likely it is you'll mix up the different perspectives and get in a muddle.

Anyway, the upshot seems to be that I can display the full business name inside the premises (so long as all customers can see it) and I can display my trading name on the fascia. So I need to check whether I need to register my trading name with anyone; I know the bank will want to know it but I'm not sure if the companies house will. I'm sure this has been answered before so I'll look in the responses to earlier posts.

A 'trade name' does not need to be incorporated and often it is not.

You can have as many trade names as you can personal names - provided the intention is not to defraud.

Planning issues - The Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street has "221b" on it's front door, only because "221b Ltd" is registered at companies house in respect to their premises. The Council wouldn't renumber their building as "221b", so the museum found a workaround solution to their problem, which upset the planners no end.