Street Trading

Who needs a street trading licence?

Anyone wishing to sell any article or thing, or supply a service in a street, whether or not in, or from a stationary position, requires a street trading licence to do so.

Exemptions

Trading activities that are not ‘street trading’ and so are not regulated by the Act.

These include:

• Lawful markets
• Roundsmen (eg milk, bread, coal)
• Door-to-door sales
• Collections for charitable purposes
• Trading in Council’s parks and car parks (covered by separate processes)

Full details of how Council manages street trading are laid out in the attached street trading policy available at bottom of this page.

Types of street trading licences

There are three types of licence which may be issued by the Council namely mobile, stationary and temporary licences.

Mobile Street Trading

The Council may issue a licence to a trader who from a vehicle moves from place to place stopping for a time for the purposes of trading, for example, an ice cream van.

The Council will agree the areas in which the applicant may trade.

Stationary Street Trading

A stationary licence can allow a trader to set up in a fixed location and trade from here on a daily basis.

The Council first must pass a resolution designating a street or part of a street within the Borough as suitable for stationary street trading.

A licence can then be issued to an applicant to trade from an allocated pitch within the designated street.

Any vacant stationary street trading sites will be listed on this website page.

Council will consider the designation of new sites once a year, the deadline for potential site details to be submitted for consideration is 30 June each year.

Temporary Street Trading Licence

The Council may issue a temporary street trading licence where a stationary licence may not be appropriate or possible.

A temporary licence is normally only issued for special events such as festivals, fairs etc.

A temporary licence can last up to 7 days and only 5 such licences can be issued to the same person in a 12 month period.

Documents required

Along with your completed application form you will need to submit to Council a range of documents relating to both you and your business -

• Electrical test certificates for all portable electrical appliances used and any generators
• Gas Safety certificates for all gas appliances, connections, flues etc used
• Evidence that you have registered, or applied for registration with the relevant local authority for food hygiene and have a Food Hygiene Rating score of at least 3
• Public liability insurance certificate

How much do street trading licences cost?

Fees are set to cover the full costs of administering and enforcing the street trading licensing process.

Licensing fees should only be paid once we have decided to grant or renew your licence.

Stationary street trading fee	£300
Stationary street trading fee for markets	£10 per day/event
Mobile street trading fee	£180
Temporary street trading fee	£110
Temporary street trading fee for markets	£300 for organised market
Variation of a licence fee	£60

Mobile and Stationary street trading licences are granted on an annual basis and will expire on the 31 December every year.

As a result fees will be calculated on a pro rata basis from when you apply.

Time scales

Please allow a minimum of 60 days from the date of receipt for us to process your application for a grant of a new stationary or mobile street trading licence.

Renewal licences are normally processed within 30 days.

The application for a temporary street trading licence needs to be submitted at least 30 days before the event.

Appeals

You have the right to appeal our decision if:

• an application is refused
• a licence is revoked
• terms, conditions or restrictions are imposed

The council will serve a notice of its intention and appeals must be lodged to the council in writing within 21 days of the date of the notice informing you of the decision.

If the council upholds their decision, appeals can be made to the Magistrate’s court within 21 days of the notice of the final decision.

If an application for a temporary licence is refused the applicant can appeal to the local Magistrate’s court within 21 days of the date of the notice of the decision.

Illegal Trading

Under the Street Trading Act, our officers can seize any property, goods, holders, equipment, stalls or vehicles if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that someone is trading illegally.

Illegal traders can be fined up to £1,000 and we can have the seized goods destroyed.

Does tacit consent apply?

Tacit consent does NOT apply to street trading and you must not start trading until a valid licence has been issued by Council.

This is to minimise the risk of a licence being granted inadvertently and subsequently resulting in public disorder, removal of protection to the public and/or a cumulative adverse environmental impact on the vicinity of the trader. 

Street trading opportunities

Any street trading opportunities at large events and vacant stationary pitches will be advertised in section below.

The allocation and selection of licences will be carried out in accordance with Council policy and full details are outlined in the application form.

Trading at Council Christmas Light events

There will be a limited number of temporary street trading licences available at the Council’s Christmas light switch on events.

These will be for small stalls selling non food items only at the following locations:

• Ballymena – Bryan Street area -  afternoon of  Saturday 16 November 2024
• Larne – Main Street area - evening of Friday 22 November 2024
• Carrickfergus – Market Place area – afternoon of Saturday 23  November 2024

If anyone is interested in applying to trade at any of the above events they should complete the Temporary street trading licence application form below and return along with all relevant certificates to address below by 31 October 2024.

No fee should be submitted with application as this  will be collected from successful applicants at later date.

The allocation and selection of licences will be carried out using the Council’s policy and full details are outlined in the application form.

Forms cans be submitted by post to address below or email to licensing@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

Application Process

To apply for a street trading licence please contact us.

T: 028 2826 2498
E: licensing@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Application forms should be completed and returned to:

Licensing Section
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Market Yard
Station Road
Larne
​BT40 3AA