Street trading consent

East Cambridgeshire District Council has designated all "streets" (as defined by the 1982 Act) in the district Consent Streets except the A10, A11, and A14 trunk roads which have been designated as Prohibited Streets for safety reasons. Trading from a Prohibited Street at any time is considered an offence.

If you wish to trade or hold an event where goods or articles will be sold or offered for sale on a street, as defined by the 1982 Act, you will need to apply for Consent, unless your activity falls within the scope of one of the exemptions below.

To apply for consent you must have a right to work in the UK, proof of this right will need to be supplied with a completed application form.

Street trading covers many trading styles, the council issues the following types of consent: annual fixed location trading consent, annual mobile trading consent, daily fixed/mobile trading consent, event consent, host premises consent and pop-up food trader registrations.

New application - annual and daily consent 

New application - event consent

Renewal application - annual consent

Transfer application - annual consent

Host premises consent

Pop-up food trader registration 
 

Before completing your application, please see our privacy and data retention policy.

It is in the public interest that East Cambridgeshire District Council must process your application before it can be authorised. If you have not received a response to your application within a reasonable period, please contact us via telephone: 01353 665555 or using our online enquiry form.

Paper application forms


Completed paper forms should be returned with the relevant fee  to:

The Licensing Department, East Cambridgeshire District Council, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4EE.

Alternatively, we are happy to receive electronic copies of application forms and supporting documentation via licensing@eastcambs.gov.uk. Please ensure you submit PDF files only.

There are several exemptions from the definition of what constitutes street trading. These include:

  • trading by a person acting as a pedlar under the authority of a pedlar’s certificate
  • anything done in a market or fair the right to hold which was acquired by virtue of a grant (including a presumed grant) or acquired or established by virtue of an enactment or order
  • trading in a trunk road picnic area provided by the Secretary of State under section 112 of the M3 Highways Act 1980
  • trading as a news vendor
  • trading which is carried on at premises used as a petrol filling station
  • trading which is carried on at premises used as a shop or in a street adjoining premises so used and as part of the business of the shop
  • selling things, or offering or exposing them for sale, as a rounds-man, for example, a milkman
  • the doing of anything authorised by regulations made under section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916

The reference to trading as a news vendor above is a reference to trading where the only articles sold or exposed or offered for sale are newspapers or periodicals; and they are sold or exposed or offered for sale without a stall or receptacle for them or with a stall or receptacle for them which does not exceed one metre in length or width or two metres in height; occupy a ground area exceeding 0·25 square metres; or stand on the carriageway of a street.

Street trading policy

You can read more about street trading consents in our policy.

Enforcement

All Consent holders are expected to comply with the conditions of their Consent, and therefore, non-compliance may lead to the Consent being withdrawn. In order to protect the rights of all Consent holders and in order to protect members of the public from illegal or so-called "rogue traders" the council will robustly enforce against all persons found trading without the necessary permission.