Shared Commercial Kitchen in a Rented Unit

Caterers, street food traders, home bakers who have outgrown their kitchen, sauce and snack makers, meal prep services and supper club hosts.

Hourly, daily or monthly membership fees for kitchen time, plus extras such as storage shelves, fridge space, equipment use and deep cleaning.

• Organising bookings and schedules
• Basic knowledge of food hygiene
• Customer service and managing different users
• Budgeting for a larger start-up

• Your kitchen will need to be registered with the local council as a food business, so check what inspection and layout standards apply
• Check planning permission or change of use, and what the lease allows, before signing for any unit
• Public liability insurance and cover for the equipment, and check what your users need to hold themselves
• Allergen control, cleaning routines and fridge or storage sharing need clear written rules
• Fit-out costs are high, especially extraction, ventilation and flooring, and it can take months to fill the bookings, so keep some cash in reserve
• Check ventilation, fire safety and waste (including grease) requirements for the unit

Startup costs are typically around £50,000 to £200,000, depending on the unit and fit-out. Extraction, ventilation and flooring can be costly, so check these early. These figures are estimates only.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on how many users book and for how long. It can take months to fill bookings, so keep some cash in reserve.

Check council food business registration and the inspection and layout standards that apply. Also check planning or change of use, lease terms, ventilation, fire safety, grease and waste requirements, and what insurance your users need to hold.