Gaffbee Commercial · Restaurant and takeaway premises
Fitted A3 and A5 style units, cafés, coffee shops and hot food takeaways — with covers, extraction and lease terms where available.
The two things that decide whether a unit works as a food business are extraction and consent. A fitted kitchen with an approved flue can be worth more than a lower rent elsewhere.
A compliant grease-filtered extract terminating above roof level is expensive to install and often needs planning consent plus the freeholder's agreement. Confirm what exists and whether it is certified before you negotiate.
Hot food takeaways sit in the sui generis category outside Use Class E, so converting a café or shop usually needs a full planning application, and many councils restrict new takeaways near schools.
A premium for an existing fit-out can be good value against the £60k–£200k a kitchen and front-of-house build can cost. Get an inventory and confirm which items are landlord's fixtures.
Restaurants and cafés sit in Use Class E in England, so a change from shop or office use is normally permitted. Hot food takeaways are sui generis and need planning permission.
Yes — a premises licence for the property plus a personal licence holder as designated premises supervisor. Check whether an existing licence covers the hours and activities you plan.
Three to six months is common on a new restaurant lease to reflect fit-out time, longer on a shell unit. It is negotiated alongside rent, term and break rights.
It varies widely with size and menu, but a small café can be tens of thousands while a full restaurant kitchen with extraction commonly runs into six figures. Get quotes before you commit to a rent.
