Restaurants and cafes that hold a premises licence to serve alcohol. Covers eat-in dining establishments where food is the primary offering and alcohol is served alongside.
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What This Code Means
Use this code if your restaurant holds a premises licence to serve alcohol. If you serve food but do not have an alcohol licence, use 56102 instead. The distinction matters for insurance (licensed premises attract higher premiums) and for HMRC benchmarking. Pubs where drink revenue exceeds food revenue should use 56302 (public houses and bars) instead. Takeaway-only businesses should use 56103.
Businesses That Use This Code
- Licensed restaurants serving food and alcohol
- Gastropubs where food is the primary revenue
- Wine bars that also serve substantial food
- Hotel restaurants operating as separate entities
Related SIC Codes
How to Register This SIC Code
You provide your SIC code when registering your company at Companies House. You can also update it on your confirmation statement if your business activity changes. You can have up to four SIC codes — the first should be your primary (highest revenue) activity.
Why Your SIC Code Matters
- HMRC uses it to benchmark your income against sector norms
- Insurers use it to assess risk and set premiums
- Government grants and support schemes are allocated by SIC code
- Credit agencies categorise your business by SIC code
Read our full SIC codes explained guide for more detail. Use CalcPad for business tax calculations.