New shop service
Opening or taking over a shop? We'll help you sort the lot.
Licences, opening hours, business rates, energy, card machine, till and funding — one team, one plan, step by step. You focus on the shop; we help with the council paperwork and the setup.
- 1. One call. We go through your shop with you — what you'll sell, the hours you want, who will run it and when you open. Nothing is asked twice.
- 2. We check what the council needs. Premises licence, personal licence, late-night refreshment, hours, business rates reliefs — we tell you plainly what applies to your shop and what it costs.
- 3. We prepare the paperwork. Forms, plan of the premises, notices and timelines. You sign once (e-signature), and we keep you updated at every stage.
- 4. Everything else, at the same time. Energy, card machine, till and funding lined up so your shop is ready on day one — not weeks later.
Prefer to talk? Call 0330 043 2101 or message us on WhatsApp.
What shop owners ask us most
Premises licence
Needed to sell alcohol, or to serve hot food and drink late at night. We help with new licences, changes to hours and moving a licence into your name when you take over.
Personal licence
The person who authorises alcohol sales (the designated premises supervisor) needs one. We point you to the approved course and help with the council application.
Late night and 24 hours
Longer hours need the licence to say so. We help you ask for the hours that suit your street, with sensible conditions the council is used to seeing.
Business rates
Many shops pay more than they should, or miss relief they qualify for. Send your rates bill and we check the valuation and reliefs with you.
Honest note: the council makes the licensing decision, and official council fees are paid to the council. We help you prepare a strong, complete application and keep it moving — we never promise a result we can't control. Read our shop guides, or see licensing and business rates.