To set up a coffee shop in London, secure a Class E premises with extraction routes, then register your food business with the borough at least 28 days before opening and implement HACCP controls using SFBB, plus allergen management compliant with Natasha’s Law for PPDS. Negotiate an FRI lease: heads of terms with a break clause, rent-free for fit-out, capped dilapidations, and verify business rates on the VOA; apply Small Business Rates Relief and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief where eligible. Seek planning for external flues, signage, and any shopfront changes; obtain a pavement licence for seating. If serving alcohol or hot food/drink after 23:00, secure a premises licence; otherwise none. Specify equipment realistically: 2‑group espresso machine (£5k–£12k), grinders, water softener for hard London water, filtration, ice, refrigeration, handwash sinks, and grease management. Budget £60k–£150k for a 400–700 sq ft fit‑out over 6–12 weeks. Set up PAYE, right‑to‑work checks, auto‑enrolment pensions, and insure for public and employers’ liability, contents, and business interruption. Open a business bank account, card processing at 0.6–1.7% plus PCI. Monitor VAT threshold (£90k). Lock in suppliers for specialty beans, milk, bakery, waste collections and coffee‑ground recycling; train baristas to hit 65–70°C milk, 1:2 espresso, and margins.
