Following the Government's announcement of new restrictions to come into effect from 5 November, we are not currently issuing street cafe licences. You can still apply to place chairs and tables outside your premises; however we will not be considering any new applications until 2 December. Restaurants, cafes and pubs must only operate a takeaway service from 5 November. Outside seating at cafes and restaurants may not be used during this time. For a full list of businesses which must close from 5 November, please see Gov.UK.
New Restrictions from 5 November
Following changes to the regulations around Street Cafes and Pavement licences, you can now apply for a Temporary Pavement Licence from the Council. The process is cheaper and easier than ever before.
To view current applications that are open for consultation, please see our Licensing Pages.
The furniture that can be permitted by a temporary pavement licence includes;
Furniture should not be permanently fixed and should be easily moved and stored away outside of the times of the licence.
In line with the issued guidance, the following process will be in place until September 2021;What is the Process?
The applicant must have public liability insurance for a minimum of £5 million. A copy of the certificate must be submitted as part of the application.
The applicant is required to affix a notice to the premises, so it is easily visible and legible to the public on the day after the application is confirmed as live by the local authority. The notice must remain in place for 5 working days beginning the day after the application is confirmed as live.
A template notice will be sent to applicants to display.
The applicant must keep evidence (dated photographs) that the notice is in place for this period.
The applicant is encouraged to talk to neighbouring businesses and occupiers prior to applying to the local authority, and so take any issues around noise, and nuisance into consideration as part of the process.
Please use the button below to send us your application. Please make sure you have read the 
Guidance Notes [441.65KB] and the Terms and Conditions before submitting your application.
Apply for a Temporary Pavement Licence
See the government webpage for more detailed information.
A pavement licence can be applied for on highway land, such as pavements, to which vehicle access is restricted or prohibited.
Applications where this applies would be approved providing there are no concerns relating to the safety of the highway user. The ability to implement social distancing guidelines must not be compromised.
However, you will be expected to provide written confirmation of permission from your neighbour.
Furniture placed away from the premises would be approved based on the following;
It is important to note the grant of a pavement licence only permits the placing of furniture on the highway. Other regulatory frameworks still apply such as the need for alcohol licences and the need to comply with registration requirements for food businesses.
If the applicant has a licence to serve alcohol on-premises, temporary amendments to the Licensing Act 2003 have been put in place. This will allow them to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, without needing to apply for a licence variation.
No. Once a licence is granted, or deemed to be granted, the applicant will also benefit from deemed planning permission to use the land for anything done pursuant to the licence while the licence is valid.
