Start-up entrepreneurs make a significant contribution to the dynamism and growth of Apeldoorn’s economy. New entrepreneurship brings innovation and diversity to the business community. Furthermore, start-up companies create new jobs.
Starting a business in the hospitality industry
Before you draw up detailed plans and submit an application for a licence to serve alcohol or to operate a non-alcoholic business, first check whether the local planning regulations allow you to run a catering business in the premises you have in mind. For further information, please make an appointment with the Apeldoorn Environmental Services Centre or call 14 055.
Fire safety
If there are more than 50 people present in a catering establishment, you will need to submit a fire safety notification. The former operating licence no longer applies to catering establishments. If you still hold such a licence, you do not need to apply for a fire safety notification. However, if you are planning to expand the business or carry out major refurbishments, you must apply to the local authority for a fire safety notification, as this may affect the escape route.
If you wish to change the designated use of the premises where you intend to carry out your business, please make an appointment with the Apeldoorn Environmental Services Centre. If the size of the premises changes, please contact the team responsible for, amongst other things, APV permits, on 14 055 or apvvergunningen@apeldoorn.nl. For more information, visit the fire service’s website, or contact the VNOG Fire Brigade by telephone: 088 310 4000
Renovation and new-build projects
If you wish to renovate a property, please contact the Apeldoorn Municipal Environment Desk. You may need to apply for an environmental permit for your plans. You can also check with the Omgevingsloket to see whether the zoning allows for catering activities and what types of catering are permitted. For new-build projects, you must always apply for an environmental permit.
Business serving alcohol
You have a liquor licence You will need this if you serve alcoholic drinks. This applies to businesses, such as a pub or restaurant, but also to clubs and charities, for example a sports club canteen or a community centre. You may not start a hospitality business without this licence.
Alcohol-free company
You have a alcohol-free business licence This is required if you wish to serve non-alcoholic drinks such as coffee and soft drinks at your business. Examples include a café, a coffee shop or a fitness centre. You may not set up a non-alcoholic business without this licence.
Company First Aid
As a business owner, you are required to appoint one or more employees as company emergency response officers. Should a situation arise within your business that poses an immediate risk to the health and safety of employees and third parties, company emergency response officers can react quickly and thereby prevent and minimise injury and damage as far as possible. Whenever your business is open, a company emergency response officer must be present. If the expertise and resources of the company emergency response officers are insufficient – for example, in the event of a major fire – they will call in external assistance, such as the fire brigade and an ambulance. In the meantime, company emergency response officers themselves do everything possible to minimise danger and injury. The primary role of the company emergency response officer is therefore to prevent the situation from getting worse.
There are many providers of first-aid training courses to be found online.
Events
You may need a licence to hold an event at your business. This is certainly the case if the event affects public order or if activities are taking place at your business that are out of the ordinary. Examples include a large influx of visitors, a greater need for parking than usual, or an activity for which the premises are not intended. If you organise events outside If you wish to keep your business running, you must always submit a submit an application for each event. When organising events, you must also take noise regulations into account.
Sound
If you run a catering business, you must comply with hygiene and environmental regulations. The environmental regulations are set out in the The Environment Act and the Decree on Activities in the Living Environment . These regulations may relate to noise, energy, waste, air and soil. The Environment Act and the Living Environment Activities Decree also set out noise standards, to ensure that people can live comfortably in the vicinity of businesses. Under the Environment Act and the Living Environment Activities Decree, as a business owner, you must notify the relevant authorities four weeks before you start or make changes to a catering business via www.aimonline.nl. A simple decision tree will help you work out what information you need to provide.
Veluwe Environmental Agency can monitor hospitality businesses for compliance with the Environment Act and the Living Environment Activities Decree, for example by carrying out noise measurements.
Hygiene
If your business involves food and drink, you must comply with food safety legislation. If, as a catering business owner, you prepare food and drink that is consumed on the premises, you are obliged to operate in accordance with the latest Hygiene Code and to complete HACCP training. The Hygiene Code provides a clear guide on how to ensure food safety and hygiene. Make sure that a copy of the Hygiene Code is always available within your business. This will enable your staff to work in accordance with the correct regulations.
Further information on the Hygiene Code and completing the HACCP training:
Music and images
If you wish to play music or show videos in your business, you cannot simply do so without permission. You must pay a fee for this. There are various organisations that protect the interests of, for example, musicians, producers, dancers and comedians.
For more information, please visit:
Advertisement
You have a advertising licence You will need this if you display commercial advertising on the façade of your business premises, even if this is on your own property. In many cases, however, you will need an environmental permit rather than an advertising permit. For example, if the façade is being altered, or if you are installing or hanging freestanding advertising elements. This constitutes ‘building’ as defined in the Housing Act. The rules for displaying advertising are set out in the advertising policy, which forms part of the Building Regulations Policy Document (PDF, 1.7 MB).
Slot machines
Gaming machines can be divided into skill-based machines and games of chance. Examples of skill-based machines include pinball machines, video games and electronic dartboards. So-called ‘fruit machines’ (slot machines) are games of chance. Skill-based gaming machines may be installed in low-threshold establishments such as snack bars, sports club canteens, community centres and restaurants with a takeaway section. There is no limit on the number of skill-based gaming machines that may be installed, nor is a licence required. In establishments with higher entry requirements, such as pubs, restaurants and amusement arcades, a maximum of two games of chance machines may be installed. For the To install a gaming machine, you need a licence required.
Outdoor seating licence
Would you like to run a terrace at your business? If so, you’ll need a outdoor seating licence required. It does not matter whether the terrace is to be built on your own property or on public (municipal) land. In both cases, you must have a permit. This permit is valid indefinitely.
If there are any changes to the size or location of the terrace, or if the legal form of your business changes, you must notify the local authority. If you are going to fit out your terrace with, for example, fixed parasols, a screen or a canopy, you may need a separate planning permission for this. Is your terrace situated on council land, or on land maintained by the council? If so, you will need to pay the council a ‘precario’ charge. This is a form of rent. The amount of the precario charge depends on the size and location of your terrace.
Street trading licence
As an entrepreneur, you have a licence required if you wish to place a display for your business for advertising purposes. A display is an object placed on the public highway, intended to draw attention to a shop’s or business’s products or services. The display must comply with the council’s display policy. A display permit is not required if you already hold a terrace permit. In that case, you may place a maximum of one display. However, if you wish to place more displays, you will need a display permit.
Extension of opening hours for the hospitality sector
In Apeldoorn, all hospitality venues must close at 1.00 am on weeknights and at 2.00 am at weekends. If you wish to keep your venue open until 4.00 am at the latest, you will need a Licence extension for opening hours required. The opening hours policy sets out a number of rules in this regard. Among other things, businesses serving alcohol at the weekend are required to have a doorman on duty from 02.00.
A licence to extend opening hours will only be granted to hospitality businesses located within Apeldoorn’s nightlife and CCTV surveillance zone.
This is linked to a possible disruption to the residential and living environment.
The Bibob Act
Your application will be assessed in accordance with the Bibob Act. This Act allows the local authority to refuse a licence if there are indications that there is a serious risk that the licence will be used (in part) to commit criminal offences.
In principle, this does not apply to a sports club canteen or a community centre (semi-commercial organisation). To assess compliance with the Bibob Act, please complete a separate application form. Whilst completing the application form online, you will find a link to the mandatory Bibob questionnaire for licences. On the BIBO page You will also find a detailed explanation of the Bibob Act.
The responsibility for running a hospitality business properly and responsibly, and for serving alcohol responsibly, lies primarily with the business owner. Business owners are expected to be familiar with the relevant laws and regulations and to know the conditions attached to licences and exemptions. Many hospitality business owners comply fully with the laws, regulations and conditions. However, there is a minority who do not. This leads to nuisance, unsafe situations and a deterioration in the residential and living environment. To ensure that everyone complies with these rules and conditions, we monitor compliance. And where necessary, enforcement action is taken by imposing administrative measures. The enforcement protocol, which forms part of the Alcohol and Hospitality Implementation Plan, sets out which administrative measure applies to which offence.
Documents
We create a clean, safe and liveable city together: residents, businesses and the local council. As a business owner, you play an important role. That is why we are keen to provide you with information on how to organise waste collection effectively and sustainably.