PRAVISE
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Opening or refitting a food business

Opening a food business? Get the build and the kitchen right first time.

Register with your council at least 28 days before you open, get the layout checked before the builders start, and have a working food safety system from your first day of trading. Our Open Right package covers all three for one fixed fee, with Patrick on the build and Joanne on the kitchen.

Who you'll speak to

  • Patrick Murphy, PRAVISE co-founder for construction and operationsPatrick MurphyConstruction & Operations
  • Joanne Meredith, PRAVISE co-founder for hospitality and complianceJoanne MeredithHospitality & Compliance

Free first call, 15 to 30 minutes. Fixed fee in writing before any work. No contracts.

What you need

What has to happen, in order.

01

Before you sign the lease or the builder

Check that the space can work as a food kitchen: drainage, ventilation, hand-wash points, storage and a sensible flow from deliveries to the pass. Moving a wall on paper costs nothing; moving it after the tiler has been costs a lot.

02

While the work is under way

On a commercial fit-out you are the client under CDM 2015. Where more than one contractor is involved, you appoint a principal designer and principal contractor in writing, and a Construction Phase Plan must exist before work starts.

03

At least 28 days before you open

Register the food business with your local council. It is free. The council will then arrange your first food hygiene inspection, often in the first months of trading.

04

Before your first customer

A food safety management system that matches your menu, an allergen matrix, cleaning schedules and trained staff, so you open with the records an officer expects to see.

Package

One package, one fixed fee.

We are not VAT registered, so every price is the total you pay.

Led by Patrick and Joanne

Open Right

Opening or refitting a café, restaurant or takeaway

£1,450–£1,950

Fixed in writing once we have seen the premises and the plans

The risk
Most launch delays and early hygiene ratings are decided before you open: a layout that is hard to clean, a missing wash-hand basin, builders nobody checked, no records on day one.
What we do
Patrick checks the plans, the builders and the construction paperwork. Joanne builds your food safety system around your menu and walks the kitchen with you before you open.
The result
You open with the layout, records and paperwork an officer expects to see, for a fee fixed in writing before we start.

What's included

  • Layout and structure check against food hygiene requirements, before the builders start
  • Contractor checks on up to three firms, and a plain-English CDM briefing for you as the client
  • Food safety management system built around your menu (Safer Food, Better Business based)
  • Allergen matrix for up to 40 dishes
  • Pre-opening walk-round and written action list
  • Help registering the business with the council

2026 launch offer

25% off when you book with us in 2026.

Until 31 December 2026

Every client who books with us in 2026 gets 25% off the first package or service they book. In return, we ask for permission to write the job up as a short case study, with your name left out if you prefer.

One discount per client. On Keep Your 5 it applies to the first three months. Ask for it on the first call.

Individual services

Or pick the parts you need.

Full price list

Common questions

Straight answers.

When do I need to register my food business?

At least 28 days before you start trading, with the local council where the premises are. Registration is free and is done online. If you are taking over an existing business, you still need to register as the new operator.

Does CDM 2015 apply to a shop or restaurant fit-out?

Yes. CDM 2015 applies to all construction work, including fit-outs, and a business having the work done is a commercial client with its own duties. Where more than one contractor will be involved, you must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing, and a Construction Phase Plan must be in place before work starts.

Can you guarantee I will open at a 5?

No. The rating is decided by the council's officer on the day. What we make sure of is that the structure, the systems and the records are right before that visit, so nothing avoidable costs you points.

What does Open Right cost?

From £1,450 to £1,950, depending on the size of the premises and how far the plans have got. The fee is fixed in writing after a free first call and, where possible, a look at the plans. We are not VAT registered, so that is the total.

Next step

Tell us where you are up to.

A free 15 to 30 minute call. We'll tell you what's needed, what it costs, and whether you need us at all.

Something else?