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Street trading consent

If you want to sell anything on the streets or highways of Bath and North East Somerset, you need to apply for street trading consent.

Before you apply

You need to read and understand the requirements set out on this page before you submit an application for street trading consent. We cannot proceed with your application unless you give us all the information we need.

You must ensure that you have read and agree to our Street Trading Policy and our Street Trading Terms and Conditions

Supporting documentation

You will need to attach the following supporting documentation to your application form:

  • a manufacturer's photo or diagram of the type of stall you wish to use
  • a location plan to scale (if you wish to create a new pitch). 
If you want to sell food

If you intend to sell food, you may need to complete a Food Business Registration form.

To view prices and fees for street trading consent, select a topic below:

Street trading fees

The following fees apply to both individual traders and market organisers:

Street trading fees
Fees Price
New application fee (payable at time of application) £449
Renewal application fee (payable at time of renewal) £37
Variation fee (plus following consultation fee, if consultation is required) £75
Consultation fee £150
Badge fee £12.50 per badge

Annual maintenance fees

All street traders will also need to pay an annual maintenance fee. You can pay this by monthly direct debit.

Annual maintenance fees
Fees Price
Part-time individual trader (trading up to 3 days a week) £1,642 (£136.83 a month)
Full-time individual trader (trading 4 to 7 days a week) £3,284 (£273.67 a month)
Street Market Organiser (5 or more pitches) £3,433 (£286.08 a month)

Consent duration

We will usually grant street trading consents for one year, unless a shorter period is specified in your consent.

We will contact you shortly before your consent expires with details of how to renew.

If you wish to make any changes to the details of your consent after it has been issued, please use our online form

Available pitches

Warning We are unable to accept applications for new pitches in Bath city centre at this time.

There are no vacant pitches in the area at this time.

You can view current street traders by using our licence search form.

Southgate and Brunel Square pitches

Pitches at Southgate Place and Brunel Square are not managed by us. They are managed by the agents acting on behalf of the Southgate Precinct.

You will need to contact SouthGate Bath on 01225 469061 to ask for permission.

How to apply

When you are sure you are able to provide all the information we require, you can submit an application using our online form:

Apply for street trading consent

Further information

Select a topic below to find out more about street trading consent:

The application process

We will make a decision based on the information you have provided. If we feel your application is appropriate for the location, we will contact you to proceed with the application process. You will need to pay the required application fee at this point.

If your application is for an existing pitch and the goods you wish to sell are not significantly different to those previously agreed at that location, then no consultation process will be required.

However, your application will be subject to a consultation period if the application is for either:

  • an existing pitch that is currently vacant and you wish to sell goods which are significantly different to those previously agreed at that location;
  • the creation of a new pitch

Consultation

We will consult with:

  • Development Control/Planning
  • Highways
  • Property Services
  • Police
  • Local Ward Councillor(s)
  • Environmental Health Food Team (if food is to be sold)
  • Adjacent Premises Parish
  • Town Councils (where applicable)

We will also place a public notice on the highway for a period of 21 days during the consultation period.

Objections

Anyone wishing to make an objection to an application must give written notice of their objection to licensing@bathnes.gov.uk, stating the grounds of the objection, within 21 days of the date of the application.

Processing time

We must allow 21 days for objections to be made. If we receive any objections, the application will be referred to our Licensing Sub-Committee for determination. 

If we do not receive any objections by the end of the consultation period, we will grant your Street Trading Consent.

At the same time, they will make your photo ID badge(s) and take you to the location of the pitch so it is clear where you will be trading from.

You will then need to pay: 

  • the maintenance fee based on the number of trading days to the end of the current quarter, or set up a monthly direct debit arrangement;
  • a badge fee and deposit;

Once you have paid the stated fees, we will issue your Street Trading Consent, subject to a set of standard conditions. We may also add conditions specific to your pitch if we consider it necessary.

Tacit consent applies. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us within 60 days.

Appeals

To appeal against a decision, you will need to contact Licensing Services by email at: licensing@bathnes.gov.uk

Relevant legislation

Schedule 4 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible.  However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation.

Laws can and do change. We must advise that only the Courts can give an authoritative opinion on statute law.

Customer complaints

If you think a street trader is breaking the terms of their licence and you want to make a complaint, please complete our online form

National Fraud Initiative

We have a legal duty to protect the public funds we administer. As a result, we may use the information you have provided on your application form within this authority for the prevention and detection of fraud.

We may also share this information with other bodies administering or in receipt of public funds solely for these purposes.

For further information, please visit our National Fraud Initiative page or contact the Information and Governance Team by email at information_governance@bathnes.gov.uk