Street trading

Street trading is defined as the selling or offering for sale of any article in the street.Traders who use the public highway to sell goods or services must have a street trading licence to carry out trade from a designated site/pitch and display of goods in front of a shop.

You do not need a street trading licence if you are:

trading as a peddler under licence issued by a Police authority
a market trader operating at a licensed market venue

If you are trading on private land you may not need a consent. However if you are trading on private land and you are within seven metres from the public highway you will need a street trading licence, unless you are a shop and the display of goods form part of the main business. If you are unsure please phone: (020) 8825 6000 or email street-trading@ealing.gov.uk.

Unlicensed street trading on the public highway is illegal. This includes:

individuals/groups selling vehicles from the public highway (eg advertisements on a vehicle window)
'non-itinerant' ice cream selling (eg an ice cream van that remains in the same location for a considerable period of time or trades from prohibited streets which are Uxbridge Roads, High Streets, W5)
'pitching up' of a stall on public highway without a street trading licence

The council enforces illegal street trading across the borough and has the authority to refuse or revoke licenses under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 (as amended).

Reporting illegal street trading

Report an illegal street trader online
Telephone (020) 8825 6000
Email: street-trading@ealing.gov.uk

A licence will not be granted where there is a risk to pedestrian safety or possibility of a nuisance being created.

The council may revoke a street trading licence after it has been granted because of non-compliance with the conditions, non-payment or because of any change in circumstances in a street since the grant or renewal of a licence eg there is not enough space in the street.

Designated sites
The council has a limited number of designated sites (pitches) to offer traders, however the pitches are very popular and there is a very long waiting list. Traders have been waiting four or more years. We would encourage traders to make alternative arrangements and look to private sites eg shopping centres, trading estates etc. Other Markets in London could be an alternative. Useful link: www.londonmarkets.co.uk

The council has decided that its existing designated sites are sufficient and no new sites will be licensed. There is a waiting list for site vacancies. If a site becomes vacant, it is offered to the first person in the waiting list. If you apply to be on the waiting list you will be on the list for many years with no guarantee of been offered a site as dependent on sites becoming available.

Charges
The administrative fee for a licence is £40, which will be refunded if the application is refused. There are different weekly charges (word) depending on the type of licence and number of days in use.

Applying for a licence
You will need to:

complete the relevant application form
submit two passport size photographs, taken within the last 12 months of the manager of the shop and signed on the reverse by the applicant
provide a copy of your commercial waste agreement
provide a copy of your public liability insurance
provide proof of home address.

These should be submitted with the administration fee. Licences will not be granted without all documentation being provided.

Application forms:

In front of shop (word) and guidance (word)
Designated site waiting list application form (word)

Designated sites / pitches are not available as there are no sites available at this time.

Contact street trading:
Tel: (020) 8825 6000 or email: street-trading@ealing.gov.uk
Office hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-4.30pm.