Street Trading

We are asking customers to only submit essential applications. Please be aware that it may take some time to review and process your application. You should expect most applications to take longer than normal to process.

Street Trading is defined as the selling or offering for sale of any article in the street. If you trade in the street you may require a street trading licence. Some exceptions include market traders and news vendors but you should check your circumstances with us.

Apply

You can apply and pay for street trading consent online on GOV.UK. Alternatively you can download an application form for a Street Trading consent (MS Word, 117KB) and post it to the Licensing Team. When applying you must submit:

• a completed application form
• a map clearly showing the location you wish to trade at or if applying for roaming consent a list of locations you wish to trade at
• the relevant fee
• a copy of your public liability insurance certificate
• if trading from private land then evidence of permission to trade from the land is required

Fees

The fee for an application can be paid by debit or credit card over the telephone on 0300 123 5015. Alternatively you can send a cheque made payable to Cheshire East Council. If you are making payment via cheque it must be made payable to ‘Cheshire East Council’. The fees are as followed:

• 12 month consent – £405.00
• 6 month consent – £265.00
• 3 month consent – £210.00
• 1 month consent – £160.00
• 1 Week consent – £105.00
• 1 day consent – £55.00

Application evaluation process

Certain streets in the Authority are designated as Consent Streets or Prohibited Streets.

• Prohibited streets - no selling is permitted
• Consent Streets - must first obtain a Street Trading Consent from the Council

View details of the street designations in Cheshire East Authority areas

An application is not valid until we have received the completed application form, fee, a map clearly indicating the area from which you wish to trade and evidence of land owners permission if on private property. Once all relevant documents are received we will then consult with partners and will inform you of our decision within 1 month of your application.

There are conditions attached to a Street Trading Consent, when you sign your application form you are agreeing to abide by those conditions.

Please be aware that if street trading consent is granted by the Licensing Team you are still required to have land owners/managers permission to trade at the location. This includes private land and roads, parks, lakes, green spaces and any area which is not designated as a public highway operated by Cheshire East Council. The grant of consent does not overrule the land owners/managers permission.

If you are looking for a contract to operate at one of our parks please visit our doing business with Cheshire East Council page

Eligibility criteria

You must be over 17 years of age to hold a licence.

You will be requested to provide evidence of relevant public liability insurance before the grant of consent.

Food traders must also be registered with the local Environmental Health office as a food business.

Licences will be refused if any of the following grounds exist:

• there isn't enough space in the street you wish to trade in, without causing interference or inconvenience to street users
• you wish to trade for less days than any minimum required trading days
• you are unsuitable to hold a licence do to any previous convictions or for other reasons
• you have previously failed to pay fees due under another street trading licence or have failed to use a previous street trading licence

If you are trading on private land you may not require a consent however you should check your circumstances with the Licensing Team. The landowner may need planning permission and you are advised to contact the Council's Planning Office.

Regulation

Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

Page last reviewed: 30 July 2024