Should I go for it????

[Jono]

Very best of luck.

I follow this lady on Twitter. A really nice story:

Local News in Luton, Dunstable and Bedfordshire | Retail contest was boon for jam-seller

[chris]

How'd the inspection go?!

[lbr102]

Hello! I got on great! I think I was lucky - I had a really lovely lady. She did say some of them can be quite strict on things but she seemed to be able to keep in mind that I am working from a domestic premises when she did her assessment.

She said I was fine to get going. She forgot to bring the document to write up her report but will do that and pop it in the post.

Things she asked me (in case anyone else is in the same situation) were about sinks, where I would store my ingredients, how chutneys were cooked (she hadn't come across someone doing chutney before - perhaps a good sign for my business!), temperatures, what I clean with.

To get around the two sinks rule I should wash my hands in the sink, get a basin for washing utensils and use a collendar (sorry about the spelling) for washing the veg.

She also found it funny that I had removed my cleaning materials. She said that in her mind it leads to the question of 'well how does she clean things then'. I pointed out that it said that in the booklet and she said that it doesn't surprise her! i.e. there's a lot of rubbish in there!

I'm trying to think if there was anything else useful. I will post if I remember.

I was a nightmare this morning with my cleaning - every time I went in the kitchen there seemed to be another crumb or speck of dirt that I had to pick up!

[lbr102]

Thanks Jono. I'm going to check out that lady!

[Scottishnewbie]

Hello! I got on great! I think I was lucky - I had a really lovely lady. She did say some of them can be quite strict on things but she seemed to be able to keep in mind that I am working from a domestic premises when she did her assessment.

She said I was fine to get going. She forgot to bring the document to write up her report but will do that and pop it in the post.

Things she asked me (in case anyone else is in the same situation) were about sinks, where I would store my ingredients, how chutneys were cooked (she hadn't come across someone doing chutney before - perhaps a good sign for my business!), temperatures, what I clean with.

To get around the two sinks rule I should wash my hands in the sink, get a basin for washing utensils and use a collendar (sorry about the spelling) for washing the veg.

She also found it funny that I had removed my cleaning materials. She said that in her mind it leads to the question of 'well how does she clean things then'. I pointed out that it said that in the booklet and she said that it doesn't surprise her! i.e. there's a lot of rubbish in there!

I'm trying to think if there was anything else useful. I will post if I remember.

I was a nightmare this morning with my cleaning - every time I went in the kitchen there seemed to be another crumb or speck of dirt that I had to pick up!

that's fab you got on so well and many thanks for sharing this, it will be really really helpful to me once I get myself organised. I am quite excited now I have to say!

Did you do a food hygeine course?

[Scottishnewbie]

oops forgot to say that I have decided to go for it after all and have sent away my registration form this morning! I have also contacted the Farmer Market co-ordinator and it's £52 up here!! And I've enquired about public and product liability insurance.

So onwards and upwards!

[lbr102]

that's fab you got on so well and many thanks for sharing this, it will be really really helpful to me once I get myself organised. I am quite excited now I have to say!

Did you do a food hygeine course?

Nope. I read in the 'Food hygiene a Guide for Business' book (the one the lady didn't rate too highly) that some local authorities will require you to someone won't. She asked me whether I had one. I explained that I didn't but was planning on doing one and had seen a City and Guilds one. She told me not to bother - it's a waste of £75 and just if I google it I can get a CD with it all on and pass the test at the end and then I can just print my own certificate. I think she was joking about printing my own certificate but she basically meant that as long as you know your stuff you don't need one!

oops forgot to say that I have decided to go for it after all and have sent away my registration form this morning! I have also contacted the Farmer Market co-ordinator and it's £52 up here!! And I've enquired about public and product liability insurance.

So onwards and upwards!

I'm glad you've decided to do it. It's all quite exciting although I'm quite nervous as well.

Hopefully the expensive cost for your farmers markets will mean that they are good ones! Do they charge you a fee for each one you do as well?

What quotes have you got for insurance. I had a company calling me back yesterday but they haven't!