Café Refit Clear-Out: Getting a Fair Deal on Old Stainless and Mixed Scrap

If your café, takeaway or small workshop is heading for a refit in 2026, the chances are you will end up with a back yard full of stainless steel and a skip full of things that are not scrap at all. A new service counter can mean old sinks, prep tables, shelving and extraction parts suddenly need a new home. The temptation is to let a clearance firm take the lot. The better move is to separate the valuable stainless from the mixed metal, then book a collection that fits around opening hours. Here is how to do it without turning a refit into a paperwork headache.

Stainless steel is not just 'any old metal'

Stainless steel is the workhorse of a commercial kitchen: sinks, prep benches, service counters, splashbacks, shelving and extraction canopies. It usually contains chromium and, depending on the grade, nickel. Grades such as 304 and 316 are common in food settings, but you do not need to become a metallurgist to get a fair deal. You do need to keep stainless separate from mild steel and aluminium. A magnet is not a reliable test, so do not rely on the 'magnet says it is not stainless' trick. Value depends on grade, thickness, cleanliness and weight. A heavy sink or service counter is worth more than a thin, flimsy shelf, but both are better weighed as stainless than chucked in with mixed scrap.

A simple sorting plan for a small café

Set up clearly labelled piles before collection day. The main pile should be stainless steel: sinks, tables, counters, shelves, splashbacks and any stainless extraction parts that have been safely removed. Next, keep copper and brass separate: taps, valves, pipework and fittings. Then aluminium, if you have trays, pans or offcuts. Mixed steel and general metal can go together. Electrical items and cables need their own pile. Commercial fridges, freezers and microwaves are not ordinary mixed scrap; they are electrical waste and need a proper route. Fryers need the oil drained and disposed of correctly before the metal is collected. Gas equipment should only be disconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Prepare the metal without overdoing it

You do not need to polish every surface. A quick wipe to remove food, grease and loose debris is usually enough. Remove plastic trim, wooden handles, rubber seals and anything that will contaminate the load. Take off loose bolts and shelves where it is easy to do so. Keep pieces manageable for carrying, but do not cut things up unless you know it is safe. Photograph each pile before it goes. If you are a tenant, check what the landlord wants removed and what counts as fixtures and fittings. If you are changing a service counter, make sure it is actually being replaced before you scrap it.

Timing a collection around trading hours

A café refit is disruptive enough without a scrap van blocking the service yard at lunchtime. Book collection for early morning before prep starts, or after closing. Confirm the access: narrow back streets, loading bays, stairs, lifts and parking restrictions all affect how long a collection takes. Tell the collector if there are steps, a tight corner or a shared yard. Keep fire exits and walkways clear. Have someone on site who can point out what is scrap and what is staying. If you are in a market or high street, check whether the collection needs to avoid delivery hours. A fair collector will work around your trading pattern rather than turning up whenever suits them.

Realistic expectations: what is worth what

Stainless steel is usually worth more than mixed steel but less than copper. A large sink, prep table or service counter can make a useful contribution, but it is unlikely to fund the whole refit. Mixed scrap is lower value, especially if it is bulky and awkward to handle. 'Free removal' can be legitimate for a low-value mixed load, but you should still get a receipt and a waste transfer note. Ask for separate weights if you have separate piles. A fair collector will tell you when a load is mostly low-value metal and price it honestly rather than pretending everything is premium stainless.

Paperwork a fair collector should provide

For business waste, a waste transfer note is not optional paperwork; it is part of your duty of care. The collector should have a waste carrier registration, and where relevant a scrap metal dealer licence. You should receive a receipt showing the date, site address, items collected, grades, weights and price, plus the collector's details. Keep the paperwork for at least two years; it is useful for your landlord, accountant or environmental health officer. If you are offered cash with no receipt, no weights and no transfer note, that is not a shortcut. It is a risk you do not need.

Red flags during a café clear-out

Watch out for anyone who says you do not need to separate stainless from mixed metal, then refuses to show weights. An unmarked van and a cash-only 'we'll take it all' offer are classic warning signs. So is pressure to clear the yard during service, or a collector who wants to take fridges and freezers as ordinary scrap. Be wary of anyone who offers to disconnect gas or electrical equipment, or who quotes a price per item without seeing the load. A legitimate collector will not mind you asking for their registration number and a copy of the paperwork.

The bottom line

A café refit produces a lot of metal, but not all of it is equal. Keep stainless steel separate, clean off the worst of the food residue, and book a collection that respects your opening hours. With a fair collector, you get weighed metal, clear grades and paperwork that stands up to scrutiny. That is the B&P Scrap Co. way: a straightforward collection, a fair price and a clear record of where your old service counters and sinks end up.