Street trading consent

You will need street traders' consent if you want to trade in a street. This could include:

  • hot and cold food sellers (e.g. burger vans, kebabs, ice-cream vans, doughnut stalls)
  • sellers of non-food products from any vehicle, stall, barrow, trailer or any other moveable or static structure

You will not need a licence for:

  • fêtes, carnivals or similar community-based and run events
  • non-commercial or charitable events
  • farmers' markets (producer-managed marketplace for local producers to sell their own produce direct to local people)
  • sales of articles by householders on land contiguous with their homes

Type of licence and fees

New consent (12 months): £529.10

New one-off occasion consent (up to 2 months): £119.10

Renewal: £529.10

How to apply

Apply for a.street trading permit

Along with this application form, you:

  • must submit the appropriate fee
  • must submit relevant plans / map / route of area you will be trading in
  • must submit a photograph of stall / vehicle
  • must submit evidence of public liability insurance
  • should have permission of the land owner of the area where you wish to trade
  • should be registered as a food business in the area where the stall / vehicle is stored

Street trading application form (PDF 276.7KB)

Street trading policy (PDF 134.7KB)

Checklist (PDF 16KB)

What happens next?

An officer may visit the applicant and inspect the vehicle, barrow, cart, van, portable stall or other vehicle or premises which the applicant intends to trade from.

We will consult with the following bodies before deciding an application:

  • our highways team
  • our planning team
  • our public protection team (in respect of food hygiene, health and safety and nuisance matters)
  • Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
  • Bedfordshire Police
  • the relevant town or parish council

A period of 21 days will be allowed for those consulted to respond, and for any comments to be taken into consideration before deciding the application.

We will then let you know the outcome of your application.

Tacit consent

Tacit consent does not apply for this licence. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please email the licensing team at licensing@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.

Appeals and redress

The consultation period is 21 days, we will normally seek to grant a consent (see Street trading policy (PDF 134.7KB) ).

Where an application is refused reasons will be given in writing to the applicant.

The act does not provide for an appeal but our complaints procedure will apply.

Street trading consent may be revoked at any time. Where consent is surrendered or revoked, we will remit or refund as appropriate, the whole or part of any fee paid.