In England, a café, bar or restaurant that wants tables and chairs on the pavement outside needs a pavement licence from its council. The fast-track process brought in by the Business and Planning Act 2020 was made permanent by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, and the permanent regime came into effect on 31 March 2024.
How it works
- It covers removable furniture on the highway next to the premises, for a business that sells food or drink.
- The public consultation lasts 14 days, and the council then has 14 days to decide. If it does not decide in time, the licence is deemed to have been granted.
- The fee is set locally and capped at £500 for a first application and £350 for a renewal.
- A licence can run for up to two years.
What it tells a supplier
A first pavement licence is a venue adding covers, with outdoor furniture still to buy. It is a smaller signal than a new premises licence and it sits on a different register, so CiviFlow does not collect pavement licences today.