You need a license to put tables and chairs outside your premises 'on the highway'.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 makes permanent the provisions set out in the Business and Planning Act (BPA) 2020 that streamlined the pavement café licensing process.
The permanent regime set out in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 commenced on 31 March 2024.
Pavement café licences
To place tables and chairs outside your premises on the highway, you will need a pavement café licence under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 process
If you wish to apply for a pavement café licence, you will need to:
- refer to our pavement café guidance notes to help you complete the application
- complete our online pavement café application form
Apply for a pavement café licence
Application process
Once we receive your application and supporting documents, we will check that we have all the information we need. We will aim to let you know the next working day if we require any additional information.
After you have sent us your application, you must display the standard notice template in your premises’ window or on your door without delay, for businesses, organisations and members of the public to be able to read the notice. The notice must remain in a location visible to all for the 14 days of the consultation period.
When the consultation period is over, we will consider all the information you submitted together with the consultation responses we receive and determine your application within 14 days.
The licence fee will be invoiced upon a licence being issued.
Renewal of a pavement café licence granted before July 2020
If you already have a pavement café licence (granted before July 2020, with planning permission), you need to renew it every year. To renew your licence, you will need to:
- complete and return our pavement café application form
Apply for a pavement café licence
Changing the conditions of an existing licence
If you wish to apply to change or vary the conditions of your existing pavement café licence you will need to submit a new licence application. We cannot vary an existing pavement café licence. All applications for a pavement café licence under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 must follow the above process.