Street trading is the selling or offering for sale of any article in the street. This includes food such as burgers, kebabs, doughnuts etc. or other things such as flowers and household items.
All streets in Hart are designated as Consent Streets. This means that any person who wishes to sell items from a trailer or stall in a street must first obtain Street Trading Consent from Hart District Council. If you are going to be selling food you will need to be registered as a food business with the council and you’ll need a valid Food Safety Certificate.
A street is defined in law as any road, footway, beach or other area (private or public) provided the public have access without payment and the area has been designated as a consent street. If you wish to trade on an area of private land that does not fall within the above definition, please speak to the Licensing Team as a Street Trading Consent may still be required.
How we manage the licensing of streets within the district for trading purposes is set out in our Street Trading Policy. It also sets out the council’s position in respect of the administration of applications for street trading consents and the monitoring of such consents following grant.
You may not need a Street Trading Consent if you are:
- Trading as a pedlar under licence issued by a Police Authority
- A market trader operating at a licensed market venue
- A news vendor selling only newspapers and periodicals
- Trading on private land - you may not need a consent if the pitch is not visible from a public highway. To confirm the situation you are advised to contact the Licensing Team (01252 622122). The landowner may need planning permission and you are advised to check with Planning.
Fees
Licence fees can be paid online:
- 12 months: £513 which includes a deposit of £131
- Seasonal consent, only one issued per calendar year £91
Applying for a pavement licence
You will need a licence if you want to place tables and chairs on the public highway outside your café, bar or restaurant. These licences are processed by the Hart Highways team and can be contacted via email infrastructure@hart,gov.uk
This furniture is required to be removable and stored away of an evening.
The application fee for a Pavement Licence is £100 – please make payment through our Pay For It page on our website when making your application. Please choose More Payments and then Other Licences and select the pavement licence from the drop-down box.
You will need to supply:
- A plan showing the location of the premises
- The width of the footway
- Proposed seating area measurements including the distance between the seating area and the edge of the kerb.
- Evidence of public liability insurance to the value of £5 million
The public consultation period is 7 days (excluding public holidays).
The local authority then has 7 days to consider the application, beginning on the first day after the end of the public consultation period. If granted, the licence will be valid for 12 months (or if shorter, until 30 September 2023).
How to apply:
If you would like to apply for a Pavement Licence, please:
- Read our Pavement Licence Guidelines
- Complete our Pavement Licence Application Form and email supporting documents to infrastructure@hart.gov.uk
- Download our Notice of Intention template and complete. This must be displayed so that it is clearly visible from outside the premises and must be posted on the same day that your application is sent in.
Further information
For further information and guidance, please visit the government pavement licence website.
If you have any further queries, please email infrastructure@hart.gov.uk with Pavement Licence in the subject line.
For details on how we process and use personal information, please read our privacy notice.
Food services
It is imperative takeaway services adhere to Public Health guidelines with regular and thorough cleansing and hand washing and adopt business practices to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Food handlers, service staff and delivery personnel must not work if they have any symptoms of illness that will compromise food safety or cause the spread of infection. If staff become unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, they must be sent home immediately and advised to follow current NHS advice.
You need to consider all aspects under your business risk assessment and take steps to ensure your workplace is a safe environment at which to trade.
If you require further guidance on food safety matters, please contact Environmental Health by emailing eh@hart.gov.uk
