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Government and Public Bodies

National government level

There is a variety of sources of information and advice available from government - individual sections . Some general sources are given below.
  • Open government: each of the government departments now has a website (detailed below), some with current news on regulations and initiatives relating to business. There is also a single entry point to all UK public sector information (www.direct.gov.uk).
  • Direct access government (www.businesslink.org): is a one-stop shop for businesses to access regulatory guidance published on government websites.
  • Small business service (SBS): is dedicated to the interests of small business. Two of its functions are to improve government support for small businesses and to help them with regulations. The SBS is taking over supervision of the Business Links network (see Business Links) below.

The DTI/SBS have produced a very useful guide called The No Nonsense Guide to Government Rules and Regulations for Setting up Your Business ? Spring 2003. This can be ordered free of charge from Business Link on 0845 600 9006 or downloaded from the SBS website.

VisitEngland

VisitEngland publishes a range of publications for accommodation businesses. For further details, see www.visitengland.org/busdev/bussupport/legislation/Howto.aspx.

VisitEngland also provides market intelligence online free of charge - see www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics/index.aspx

VisitEngland also publishes accommodation guides (covering bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan parks and other types of accommodation) - further details can be found on www.visitengland.org/busdev/accreditation/qascheme/benefits.aspx .

Regional delivery partners and Local Enterprise Partnerships

Regional Development Agency closure

In 2010, the Government confirmed that all Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) across England will close by March 2012. The responsibilities for economic development and regeneration in England will be passed onto successor bodies, including Local Enterprise Partnerships and central Government departments. For more information on the closure of RDAs, go to www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/englands-regional-development-agencies.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are led by local authorities and businesses and will play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs. To find out where your LEP is, contact info@lepnetwork.org.uk.

Destination Management Organisations (DMOs)

Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) generally operate in well-developed tourism areas and unlike LEPs, DMOs have a specific tourism (or destination remit). Activities may vary between destinations, but supporting local tourism businesses is a common priority. They offer a number of services that can help you, including:

  • information and guidance about starting up a tourism business
  • training courses
  • marketing opportunities
  • general information on tourism within the region, development plans, regional tourism trends and statistics.

For more information on DMOs, visit www.visitengland.org/england-tourism-industry/how-tourism-is-managed/dmo.aspx

Note! Some of these services may be restricted to members.

Tourist Information Centres (TICs)

Tourist Information Centres (TICs) operate in key visitor locations and may be either ran by volunteers or funded by the local authority or DMO. Providing knowledgeable information to visitors is key to their service but TICs will also provide accommodation booking and sell tickets for local attractions and events. For more information on TICs, visit www.visitengland.org/marketing/visitorinfo/index.aspx.

Other national tourism bodies

Local sources of help and advice

Contacting your local authority

For advice on regulatory matters, we suggest that you contact your local authority for additional help and advice. If you live within the administrative area of a metropolitan borough council, unitary council or London borough council, then you have a single point of contact for your enquiry.

Alternatively, if you live in an area has both a borough/district council and county council, then it is advisable to call first your local borough/district council with your enquiry.

Other sources of local help

These include the following.

Tourism officer

Some local authorities have a dedicated officer responsible for tourism promotion who is able to offer a wide range of information on issues affecting the local industry. These areas of expertise include environmental health, licensing requirements, local sustainable tourism, marketing initiatives, quality assurance, and tourism trends and statistics.

Tourist Information Centre (TIC)

Your local TIC is another source of valuable information as the staff have a detailed local knowledge of the locality. For instance, they are uniquely aware about the types of visitors who visit the area, what they are looking for and existing tourism facilities. Your local TIC may also provide a local accommodation booking service, taking a small commission on the first night's tariff.

Business Links

Business Link is also there to offer you advice, information and support, whether you are just starting up or expanding your tourism business. Business Link works in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, Learning and Skills Council, DMO tourist board and local authority in your local area so you are able to access a wider network providing help and advice.

  • Contact through the national information line 0845 600 9006 (for more information or the contact details for your local Business Link)
  • www.businesslink.gov.uk.
Local libraries

Your local library (or the nearest town/city library) is also a good source of advice and information on local matters and government initiatives. They may also have copies of some of the publications mentioned on this website.

Other sources of help

Professional advisors

These include the following.

Lawyers for your Business (a Law Society initiative)
The Lawyers for your Business helpline is able to provide you with a list of solicitors within your area, and will offer you half an hour free consultation with a lawyer. You can also order from them a set of six free leaflets to help you in your business. Your regional tourist board may also be able to give you names of suitable local firms.
Independent financial advisors
The independent financial advisors consumer hotline is able to forward you a list of independent financial advisors or accountants in your area.

Utilities/facilities

These include the following.

Gas Safe Register
OFGEM (The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets)
OFCOM (Office of Communications)
OFWAT (Office of Water Services)

Trade associations

These include the following.

Bed and Breakfast Association
British Activity Holiday Association
The BAHA monitors safety standards and quality within the activity sector throughout the British Isles. BAHA also provides a detailed consumer guide which is available on request.
British Holiday and Home Parks Association
BHHPA is the representative body of the parks industry including caravans, chalets and tents and all types of self-catering park accommodation.
British Hospitality Association
The BHA represents hotels (mostly 10+ rooms), restaurants and catering establishments, and distributes guidance notes to members.
British Resorts and Destinations Association
The BRADA represents the interests of resorts and destinations throughout the UK.
English Association of Self-catering Operators
The EASCO is a trade association for self-catering operators from individual owners through to the agencies and associations.
Farm Stay UK Ltd
The Farm Holiday Bureau is a co-operative of 1200 farmers throughout the UK who provide serviced and self-catering accommodation on working farms.
Tourism For All
Tourism For All, a national charity, is the UK voice for accessible tourism dedicated to making tourism welcoming to all.
National Caravan Council Ltd
NCC is the representative trade body for the UK caravan industry involved in setting standards and promoting quality. NCC operates the Product Approval Scheme for new caravans to ensure compliance with minimum health and safety standards.
People 1st
People 1st is the Sector Skills Council for the hospitality and tourism sector. It is the lead agency on all issues relating to education, training and qualification within the sector.

Trade publications

Bed and Breakfast News
An independent monthly subscription magazine for the owners of bed and breakfasts, guesthouses and small hotels. It includes nationwide news, views, features written by recognised specialists and exclusive special offers.
Caterer and Hotelkeeper
Published weekly, Caterer and Hotelkeeper has been providing news and views for the hospitality industry for over 132 years in print and, more recently, through its website Caterersearch.com.

Business advice

Business skills

Use the learndirect online database of courses at www.learndirect-advice.co.uk or call on 0800 100900. Contact your local Business Link, the Business Link Helpline on 0845 600 9006, or your local library.

Funding

The Grants and Support Directory (GSD) allows you to search for potential sources of help with starting up a business or business development. It is available online at www.businesslink.gov.uk.

Finances

Contact your bank about competitive arrangements for small businesses. An accountant or financial advisor will also be able to advise you. For information on book keeping/accounts courses, contact Business Link, as above, or your local library. In certain cases, the government may be willing to act as a guarantor of loans to small business proposals. Contact your local Business Link or the Helpline, 0845 600 9006.

IT and e-commerce

Go to www.businesslink.gov.uk or contact your local Business Link and your destination management organisation.

Environment and energy helpline

Go to www.envirowise.gov.uk or phone 0800 585 794.

Tourism trends in your area

Contact your regional tourist board, your local tourist information centre, or your local authority tourism officer.

VisitBritain produces market intelligence reports including the latest inbound visitor statistics, tourism trends, forecasts and commentary. Go to www.visitbritain.org/insightsandstatistics/index.aspx.

VisitEngland provides an in depth market intelligence about the English tourism landscape. Browse www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics/index.aspx for downloadable reports or email VEResearch@visitengland.org.

Marketing opportunities

Contact your local destination management organisation, VisitEngland, any local tourism marketing initiative, or your local authority tourism officer.

Staff training

Key national organisations who run accredited training for initial guidance are listed on VisitEngland's website www.visitengland.org/busdev/bussupport/training/index.aspx.

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Publications Contact List

The publications mentioned within individual legislation sections are available from the following organisations.

Adventure Activities Licensing Authority

  • 44 Lambourne Crescent, Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5GG
  • Tel: 029 2075 5715
  • Website: www.aala.org

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services (ACAS)

  • ACAS Readers Ltd PO Box 16, Earl Shilton, Leicester LE9 8ZZ
  • National helpline: 08457 474747
  • Orderline: 0870 242 9090
  • Website: www.acas.org.uk

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

Chadwick House Group

  • Tel: 020 7827 5853

Communities and Local Government

  • Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU
  • Helpline: 020 7944 4400 (08:30-17:30 Mon-Fri)
  • Online information: www.communities.gov.uk

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  • TSO Publications Centre, PO Box 276, London SW8 5DT
  • Orderline: 0870 600 5522
  • Online information: www.defra.gov.uk

Department for Transport

  • Publications enquiries: 0300 123 1102
  • Online information: www.dft.gov.uk

Department of Health

Department of Trade and Industry

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Food Standards Agency

Health and Safety Executive

  • HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA
  • Orderline: 01787 881165
  • Online catalogue: www.hsebooks.co.uk
  • HSE Infoline: 0845 345 0055

Note! Many of HSE priced publications should be available from good booksellers.

HM Revenue and Customs

Home Office Communication Directorate/ Publicity

Information Commissioner's Office

National Minimum Wage Information Line

Office of Fair Trading

The Stationery Office

  • TSO Orders / Post Cash Dept, PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GN
  • Orderline: 0870 600 5522
  • Online information: www.tso.co.uk

The Stationery Office also has its own bookshops in some major cities. In addition, you may be able to buy some of priced publication from good booksellers.

Trading Standards Institute

  • Trading Standards Institute, 1 Sylvan Court, Sylvan Way, Southfields Business Park, Basildon, SS15 6TH
  • Tel: 0845 608 9400
  • www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Valuation Office Agency

For enquiries about business rates, council tax, etc: back to top

Definitions and Explanations

The following definitions aim to clarify terms used throughout the text.

Employer

Anyone who has employees.

Employee

Anyone who works for you under a contract of employment. This may be a formal written contract, or it may be an oral agreement, or even just implied. Note! in some instances deciding whether someone is an employee or not can be a complex area of law, professional legal help may be required.

Hotel and private hotel

The term "hotel" can be used in its everyday, general sense. However it is also a term defined under the Hotel Proprietors Act 1956 to clarify certain rights and responsibilities that are attached to being a Hotel (as defined), rather than any other type of accommodation premises. These rights and responsibilities include (a) a responsibility for guests' luggage and belongings, (b) the right to keep guests' luggage, and (c) the right to turn guests away.

For these purposes:
  • A hotel is an establishment that offers (i) food, (ii) drink, (iii) sleeping accommodation, to anybody who appears able and willing to pay and who is in a fit state to be received. Note! "drink" does not have to be alcoholic.
  • A private hotel is any serviced accommodation establishment that is not a hotel. For example, you will be a private hotel if:
    • you do not provide food and/or drink
    • you can pick and choose your guests, even if you have a free room
    • you have an advertised policy of "no children" or "no coaches", etc
    • you can only book in advance.

Serviced accommodation

Includes hotels, hostels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, farmhouses and inns.

So far as is reasonably practicable

Occurs frequently in health and safety legislation. It means that you have to do what is reasonable taking account of the level of the risk and the time, trouble and expense involved in removing or minimising it. If the risk is low, it is not reasonable to commit significant resources. If the risk is higher, it is reasonable to have to commit significant resources. Your own financial position is not, though, a factor. For example, if your property is old with low door frames and beams, there is a high risk of someone banging their head but a low risk of someone being seriously injured, it is therefore reasonably practicable for you to put up warnings, but not to structurally alter the premises.

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National Quality Assurance Standards

Star ratings

Since 2006 the four assessing bodies (mentioned below) have reached agreement on what is known as 'Common Standards'. Not only will they assess serviced and self-catering accommodation to the same criteria, but this also ends the confusion previously caused by crowns, diamonds, stars, keys, ticks, to name a few of the previous symbols.

Since January 2006 all the agencies award stars to denote the quality rating achieved and new designators (eg town house hotel, metro hotel, restaurant with rooms, guesthouse) will give customers additional information to help them find the style of accommodation they want. The aim is to reduce confusion and avoid misleading the customer.

Marketing benefits of participation

There is no compulsory registration and accommodation businesses can choose whether to opt for quality assessment. Each assessing body offers its own package of associated benefits.

The latest list of VisitEngland's benefits can be found on www.qualityintourism.com.

Choice of assessing body

Five agencies currently offer this service:
  • VisitEngland
  • The AA
  • VisitScotland
  • Visit Wales.
  • Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Quality assessment means that an independent assessor has visited every year, supplied a written report and, in the case of hotels and Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs), has stayed overnight as a 'mystery' guest at least one year in three.

To find out more, contact the relevant organisation below.

VisitBritain quality contact

  • Quality in Tourism (for assessments in England only)
  • Security House
  • Alexandra Way
  • Ashchurch
  • Gloucestershire
  • GL20 8NB
  • Tel 0845 300 6996
  • Website: www.qualityintourism.com
  • Email: qualityintourism@uk.g4s.com

VisitScotland quality contact

Visit Wales quality contact

  • Quality Assurance Department, Visit Wales
  • Welsh Assembly Government
  • Rhodfa Padarn
  • Llanbadarn Fawr
  • Aberystwyth
  • Ceredigion
  • SY23 3YR
  • Tel: 0845 0108020
  • Website: http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/tourism
  • Email: quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

  • NITB
  • St Anne's Court
  • 59 North Street
  • Belfast
  • BT1 1NB
  • Website: www.nitb.com
  • Email: qa@nitb.com

The AA

VisitEngland's Quality Assessment Schemes

VisitEngland has invested heavily in its own Quality Assessment schemes which are available to all accommodation and attraction operators in England. For the accommodation sector, the administration, marketing and assessing has been contracted to Quality in Tourism, who operate the different schemes on VisitEngland's behalf.

A range of accommodation schemes are available covering:
  • hotels
  • guest accommodation
  • budget hotel brands
  • holiday villages
  • holiday, touring and camping parks
  • self-catering accommodation
  • Individual caravan
  • serviced apartments
  • boats
  • hostels
  • university campus
  • serviced apartment
  • hire craft & hotel boat
  • Chalets
  • Alternative accommodation including Wigwams and camping pods, nomadic structures, railway carriages, shepherds trailers, treehouses, Romany caravans and Camper vans

Already some 24,000 separate accommodation businesses participate in the accommodation schemes and take advantage of the annual assessment visit and feedback report as well as the marketing opportunities that VisitEngland offers its participants.

VisitEngland quality ratings

Each scheme awards stars (1-5) to give a clear indication of the accommodation standard, taking in to account the cleanliness, ambience, hospitality, service and food. The ratings provide visitors with the reassurance they need to help them choose their accommodation. Generally, the more stars, the higher the quality of accommodation.

A wider range of designators such as 'town house hotel', 'country house hotel' and 'restaurant with rooms', gives visitors even clearer information when making their choice.

Additionally, VisitEngland's unique Gold and Silver awards are given in recognition of exceptional quality within a property's star rating. Serviced accommodation (hotels and guest accommodation) are eligible to receive either a Silver or Gold award, whereas self-catering and serviced apartments are able to Gold award only.

VisitEngland's Breakfast award recognises those hotels and B&Bs where the owners, managers, chefs and staff have gone the extra mile to ensure the breakfast will exceed expectations.

VisitEngland Awards for Excellence

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence are open to tourism businesses, tourism support organisations and the excellent people who work in them. In previous years the awards have consisted of a series of sub-national heats leading to a national final. In response to the changes within the tourism industry at sub-national level, businesses can now enter, for the first time, via the new website (www.visitenglandawards.org) which will automatically direct applicants to local and regional awards where they exist. Those businesses which do not have access to local awards will be able to apply directly to the Awards administrators.

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence website also includes a video message to the industry from John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage and a video message from James Berresford, VisitEngland CEO to potential sponsors.

For more information on the Awards visit www.visitenglandawards.org.

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