Pavement licence
Apply for a pavement licence if you want to place removable furniture on the highway, to sell or serve food or drink next to a premises.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 makes permanent the provisions set out in the Business and Planning Act (BPA) 2020 that streamlined the process to allow businesses to quickly secure pavement licences. Licences that are deemed to have been granted should remain in place for such period as we may specify in the licence.
About the licence
Under the 2024 licence, businesses selling food and drink can apply for authorisation to put furniture, such as tables and chairs, on the highway adjacent to their premises to sell food and drink as long as they are removed after the permitted hours.
Visit the GOV.UK website for more information and advice.
Businesses who currently hold a ‘Tables and Chairs’ licence, or those unable to remove their furniture after the permitted hours, can apply or continue to operate their business with this in place depending on approval.
Businesses can either:
- renew or apply in the usual manner with no change in any of the conditions or permissions but will have to pay the current advertised costs
- make an application for a pavement licence.
The fee is £500 for first-time applications and £350 for renewals. Licences are granted for six months at a time.
Read the licence guidance before you apply so you have all the information you need to provide.