Hospitality & Catering
Hotels, restaurants and cafés
Hospitality and catering encompass all dining and drinking establishments and enterprises providing lodging. The setup and management of an establishment of this kind places specific responsibilities upon the natural person or persons, the de facto partnership or the legal entity on whose behalf and at whose risk the hospitality and/or catering business is operated. This is due to the specific nature of the hospitality and catering industry. The government has imposed specific rules to prevent infringements and misuse and to guarantee quality and safety within the sector.
In this respect, establishments must comply with the strict conditions laid down in the ‘Licensing Act dated 28 December 1983 on the provision/sale of spirits’.
Because hospitality and catering establishments, and their terraces, are considered buildings that are accessible to the general public, they are subject to the ‘Flemish Government Decree dated 5 June 2009 stipulating the regional urban development regulations pertaining to accessibility’. This also encompasses various specific fire and safety instructions.
Moreover, the setting up of the establishment in question will also be subject to specific requirements related to urban development. Is a hospitality or catering business acceptable at the specific location? If so, how extensive can it be (or become)?
The specific problems associated with the exploitation of a hospitality/catering business should not be overlooked either. Disputes often arise concerning commercial leases, claims, neighbourhood nuisance, etc.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, the hospitality/catering sector is subject to many more regulations. That is why, using our experience and expertise, our offices would like to assist you with setting up your hospitality/catering establishment and obtaining/maintaining the necessary licences, and thus contribute to the success of your business. It speaks for itself that you would be able to rely on us in the event of problems or issues with certain procedures.