SIC code 56102 covers unlicensed restaurants and cafes activities in the UK, with 37,148 active companies currently registered. This represents a significant segment of UK business activity. It falls under Section I (Accommodation and food service activities) of the UK SIC 2007 classification system, which is used by Companies House to categorise all registered businesses.
See the full industry analysis on the Unlicensed restaurants and cafes industry page.
With a 81% survival rate, this sector shows strong business longevity. Only 168 of 45,823 companies registered under this code have dissolved, well below the UK average. The average company age of 3.8 years suggests a relatively young and dynamic sector, with many businesses having been established in recent years. Growth has been exceptional recently: 77% of all active companies were formed since 2020, marking this as one of the fastest-expanding classifications. The 2010s contributed another 20%, meaning the vast majority of businesses are relatively new. The leading locations for this sector are LONDON (7,171), BIRMINGHAM (1,147), MANCHESTER (823), which together account for 25% of active companies.
SIC code 56102 stands for "Unlicensed restaurants and cafes" under the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) system. It belongs to Section I — Accommodation and food service activities. Companies use this code when registering with Companies House to indicate their primary business activity. The code is required for annual confirmation statements and is used by HMRC, ONS, and other government bodies for statistical and regulatory purposes.
There are currently 37,148 active companies registered under SIC code 56102 in the UK, out of 45,823 total registrations. This gives a survival rate of 81%, meaning 19% of companies registered under this code have since dissolved. These figures are based on Companies House data and updated regularly.
The top locations for unlicensed restaurants and cafes companies (SIC 56102) are: LONDON (7,171), BIRMINGHAM (1,147), MANCHESTER (823), GLASGOW (813), LEICESTER (486). Geographic concentration can reflect local economic conditions, industry clusters, or proximity to key markets and supply chains.
The sector is growing: 77% of currently active SIC 56102 companies were formed since 2020, and 20% during the 2010s. This sustained formation rate indicates ongoing demand for unlicensed restaurants and cafes services in the UK.
Companies classified under SIC 56102 have an average age of 3.8 years. This young average age reflects a sector with many recent market entrants and rapid turnover. Notable companies include MCDONALD'S RESTAURANTS LIMITED, COBRA COFFEE LIMITED, ISS FACILITY SERVICES LIMITED.
Related SIC codes within the same division include: 56103 (Take-away food shops and mobile food stands), 56101 (Licensed restaurants), 56302 (Public houses and bars), 56210 (Event catering activities). Companies may use multiple SIC codes if they operate across several of these related activities. When registering with Companies House, businesses should select the code that best represents their primary activity.
You can search for companies with SIC code 56102 (Unlicensed restaurants and cafes) using UVAGATRON's company explorer, which allows filtering by SIC code, location, and company status. Alternatively, Companies House offers a basic search on their website. Our platform adds risk intelligence, director networks, and signals from 50+ government databases to each company record.
Search, filter, and analyse 37,148 companies classified under this SIC code with AI-powered risk intelligence.
Data sourced from Companies House, HM Land Registry, FCA Register, and 50+ government databases. SIC classification follows the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007). Last updated: 2026-04-17.