In order to sell goods to the public from a street, you must obtain a street trading consent from the Council.
All streets within Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Royston are 'consent' streets. It is further resolved to make the arterial roads within the district of North Hertfordshire 'consent' streets but with trading limited to laybys only. Streets in the rural villages remain undesignated.
We aim to maximise the opportunity for street trading within the four towns in line with our Street Trading Policy.
Our policy is to oppose all street trading other than from areas approved by the Council, where highway safety will not be impaired. For such sites a trader's licence must be obtained from the appropriate Council. The policy applies to trading in all consent streets and private property adjacent to a consent street where the public have a right of access e.g. a supermarket car park.
Town centres
If you wish to trade in the streets in the town centres of North Hertfordshire, you can approach the relevant town centre manager who may have been given a wider 'consent' for the street or private premises under his/her control. In these circumstances, the town centre manager would administer the process and with the exception of trading by 'not for profit' organisations, receive a fee.
Car boot sales
Car boot sales are street trading if they are in town centre locations like car parks, playing areas etc. If they are in a private field, street trading doesn't apply. You would need a Land Licence if it was located on council land and planning permission may be required. Email Planning Control at planning.control@north-herts.gov.uk for further information around planning permissions.
If a car boot is located within a town centre, you can approach the relevant town centre manager who may have been given a wider 'consent' for the street or private premises under his/her control.
Lay-by trading
Some lay-bys within the district are deemed to be unsuitable sites due to safety grounds where there is no segregation between the lay-by and the live carriageway.
While we will consider each application on its merits, if an application is received for any of the following locations, the likelihood is that the application will be refused.
The lay-bys that are deemed unsuitable are located on:
- the A505 Offley East and West Bound between Luton and Hitchin;
- the A505 Royston between Tesco's roundabout and McDonalds Roundabout.
Apply for consent
If you wish to trade you can apply for a 'consent'. Please submit the following:
- Completed application form (below)
- Correct fee (you can pay this online)
- Recent passport sized photo - taken within the last 12 months that has been signed and dated on the reverse by the applicant.
- Plan of the street(s) you wish to trade - please refer to the Policy below for the scale required
- Public Liability Insurance Certificate
Then submit your application forms and documents to licensing@north-herts.gov.uk.
If you prefer you can send them to: North Hertfordshire District Council, Licensing Team, PO Box 10613, Nottingham NG6 6DW.
Applications will be considered in accordance with the Council's Street Trading Policy, but applicants should be aware that if an application is rejected, there is no right of appeal.
Successful applicants will be expected to comply with the conditions of a consent to trade at all times.
The payment of fees by direct debit is available once the initial payment has been received and the consent to trade has been granted.
Street trading policy
All applicants are encouraged to read the policy prior to making their applications. If you have any questions please contact us.