Shop
Approved document B, Fire Safety, Volume 2, Buildings other than dwellinghouses (2019 edition), defines the purpose group 'shop and commercial' as:
Shops or premises used for either of the following:
- A retail trade or business (including selling food or drink to the public for immediate consumption, retail by auction, self-selection and over-the-counter wholesale trading, the business of lending books or periodicals for gain, the business of a barber or hairdresser, and the rental of storage space to the public).
- Premises to which the public are invited either:
- to deliver or collect goods in connection with their hire, repair or other treatment
- (except in the case of repair of motor vehicles) where the public themselves may carry out such repairs or other treatments.
The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, categorises uses of land and buildings in relation to the planning system.
Use class A1 ‘Shops’ is defined as:
Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, funeral directors and internet cafes.
There is no equivalent 'commercial' use class.
The Scottish Building Standards, Part I. Technical Handbook – Domestic, Appendix A Defined Terms, defines a shop as: ‘…a building or premises used for retail or wholesale trade or business, including sales by auction, self-selection and over the counter wholesale trading, hairdressing and beauty or body care and premises to which members of the public are invited to resort for the purposes of delivering or uplifting goods in connection with cleaning, repair, hire or other treatment or (except in the case of the repair of motor vehicles) of themselves carrying out such cleaning, repair or other treatment.’
See also: Commercial premises definition.
NB In the construction industry, the term 'shop' might also be used to refer to workshops where products and components are manufactured, hence 'shop drawings'.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.























Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, or to suggest changes, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.