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Mobile fruit and vegetable street trader consent

You need our consent to operate a mobile fruit and veg (van) business.

Where and when you can trade

You can apply to trade in up to 5 different areas in Sheffield with each consent. To comply, you need to move from site to site and remain stationary for a maximum of 20 minutes for sales to be made. 

Our licensing committee may restrict the number of traders in a particular area.

You can trade any time from 9am to 7pm unless we have given you permission to trade outside these hours.

Where you can't trade

You can't trade:

  • within an 800 metre radius of the Sheffield Arena, Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United stadiums on any event or match day for four hours before the event, during the event and one hour after the event
  • within a 500 metre radius of any static traders, other mobile traders or shops trading in similar goods
  • within 800 metres of any school from an hour before the start of the school day until an hour after the end of the school day unless you have applied for a separate school consent

If you want to trade anything other than fruit and vegetables you need to apply for a static street trading consent.

When stopping parking or stopping your vehicle you should make sure:

  • you don't infringe any parking or traffic requirements
  • cause an obstruction on roads
  • you don't present a danger to other road users or pedestrians

Anyone can apply but they must be at least 17 years old.

You need to make sure that any assistants you have working on your pitch are wearing badges issued by us. If not they do not have badges they will not be allowed to trade.

Apply for street trading consent badges

Costs

You need to pay £411 to apply for a new consent or to renew your current consent.

Your consent will expire on 31 March each year, after which you will need to renew it. It is your responsibility to make sure you have renewed your consent if you want to continue trading.

Your trading unit needs to meet our requirements

You need to follow our street stall trading criteria in order for us to grant you consent.

Your vehicle(s) will be inspected before we issue a consent to ensure it meets our criteria.

Your van needs a side hatch to serve customers to avoid causing obstructions to streets and pavements.

Street stall criteria

There are street stall criteria. 

Unit design

Good display is an important part of the selling process and top quality presentation encourages purchase and benefits the retailers’ reputation. It is in the best interest of traders to produce a high quality design both internally and externally in their unit. 

The function of the unit is to identify the trader and add vitality and colour to the immediate area, and reflect the quality, cleanliness in their operation. The unit must contribute to the appearance of the area for good or bad, so design matters to everyone who uses the street, as well as the operator.

As such:

  • stalls must enhance the visual appearance of the street rather than detract from it and be constructed in a suitable style and of appropriate materials
  • examples of acceptable designs include: Modern, simple, functional stalls with umbrellas, canopies or striped awnings and traditional or ‘period’ type handcarts, barrows or tricycles
  • the stall design should be fully accessible for all customers
     
  • the outside of the unit will be limited to the name of the stall, the type of product sold and a simple price list. Ad hoc pictures and advertiser’s slogans should be avoided, as should untidy handwritten signs
  • advertisements on stalls will not be permitted without our permission in writing and subject to further conditions. We will decide what is an acceptable advertisement
  • sign writing and scrollwork must be finished to an acceptable standard
  • the general design of the unit must meet our requirements for the location and proposed hours or days of trading. A photograph of the actual unit or proposed model must be submitted on application
  • bright colours and a sense of fun are encouraged
  • pitched and curved roofs are encouraged
  • canopies must be maintained and cleaned
  • the internal layout of the unit must be clean and to a high standard
  • non-motorised vehicles (carts or barrows) are encouraged in pedestrian areas – for example shopping areas like Woodseats and Hillsborough
  • mobile trading vans must have a side hatch to serve customers
  • the unit / vehicle must be clearly identifiable as a trader

Environmental Health considerations of the unit design

For Enclosed Food units the internal arrangements must be such that:

  • there is suitable and sufficient hand washing facilities with hot water
  • the work surfaces are impervious to water and easy to clean
  • there is sufficient compliant temperature controlled food storage facilities appropriate to the business
  • the gas and electrical installations are certificated and deemed to be safe by a competent and suitably qualified engineer. Any gas store cupboard should be outside the food area
  • the external arrangements must be that the mobile is sufficiently weather and pest proof so as to not risk the contamination of the food

For Market-Stall or Street-Barrow type food units:

  • the stall must be covered to prevent the risk of matter falling on to the food
  • the work surfaces likely to be in contact with the food must be impervious to water and easy to clean
  • any intrinsic storage food area must be able to be secured against intrusion by pests
  • if temperature controlled food is to be stored on the mobile, the storage facility shall be capable of maintaining the food in a legally compliant manner
  • there must be adequate hand washing facilities

Food Hygiene record (for all food stalls) – all food regulations have been adhered to. You will need to demonstrate that:

  • you have registered with your local authority
  • all food handlers have received adequate food safety training appropriate to their job role
  •  the food business has a legally compliant Food Safety Management System (such as Safer Food, Better Business)
  • your business has a food hygiene rating score of at least 3
  • if there is a history of non-compliance you must show that it has been addressed and accepted by the Food Safety Enforcing Officer, or that the food business is in the process of addressing the issues and the Food Safety Officer does not consider the defect too severe so as to prohibit the food business from trading

Dress:

  • the trader and their assistants must be identifiable (such as wear a uniform)
  • the style of dress worn by stall operators should be chosen to complement the style and period of the unit
  • over clothing must always be smart and clean. Operators of food stalls should ensure that sufficient changes of clothes are provided so as to enable personnel to always wear over clothing, which is clean
  • personal cleanliness is also important and persons employed at food stalls are required to have good personal hygiene

General:

  • vehicles used to tow trailers must be parked legally at all times
  • we reserve the right to not renew any consent where if we consider that product/s offered by the operator are not in keeping with the requirements of the site
  • the goods complement and do not conflict with the goods sold by other retailers within their proposed area(s)

This criteria is intended to guide applicants for street trading consents as to the type of stall and dress, which we are looking to promote as a means of regulating the street trading.

It is not intended to exclude any design that does not fall within the examples given.

What you need to provide with your application

You will need to send us:

  • a completed application form and privacy statement
  • the full fee
  • 3 colour photographs of the vehicle to be used showing front, back and side
  • two recent and identical passport size photographs signed and dated on the reverse
  • your current passport
  • your current drivers licence
  • one other proof of identity showing your name and current address (recent utility bill, bank statement etc)
  • right to work documentation (if applicable)
  • details of any food hygiene qualifications
  • confirmation that the business has a food hygiene rating of 3 or more
  • confirmation that you can meet our street trading criteria
  • any further information you want to submit in support of your application

The following documents must also be sent before your consent can be granted:

  • a vehicle insurance certificate
  • an appropriate vehicle test certificate
  • a certificate of public liability insurance (the level of cover shall be a minimum of £2,000,000)
  • written confirmation that the vehicle meets our food safety standards
  • waste management contract
  • declare that you have registered as a food business

What happens once you have made an application

Once we receive your application we will consult with relevant parties for around 28 days.

If there are no issues, we will request that you sign and date the conditions that will be attached to your consent before we issue it. You will then be required to display the consent on your vehicle or trading unit as per your conditions.

If we have any issues with your application or if there are objections, we will refer your application to our licensing committee as soon as possible. They will make a decision on whether to grant you consent. You and any objectors will also be invited to attend.

It is in the public interest that we process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within 28 days you should contact us.

Short term consents

If you want a street trading consent for a short period of time you can apply for a short term consent for either a day, week, or month. You can apply for this using the standard application form and indicating that you are applying for short term consent.

When you apply, you must ensure that you submit all appropriate documentation and pay the relevant fee. You should include your payment reference number on your application form.

Pay for a short term consent application

Street trading – short term day application £75
Street trading – short term week application £95
Street trading – short term month application (£135)

Before you apply you should pay the relevant application fee online and include your payment reference number with your application.

Pay for a mobile fruit and vegetables street trading consent

You can then download and complete the application form and send it with any other relevant documents to:

Licensing Service
Block C, Staniforth Road Depot
Staniforth Road
Sheffield
S9 3HD

Apply online

You can apply online but we would recommend applying by post instead. If you apply online you may be asked to provide further information or documentation before we can start processing your application, which may delay it.

Apply for a mobile fruit and vegetables street trading consent online

You can replace your consent certificate if it has been lost. This costs £22 and you should pay online then write to us asking for a replacement certificate and include your payment reference number.

Pay for a replacement certificate £22

How to make an appeal or a complaint

There is no appeal procedure against the refusal or revocation of any consent. You may apply for judicial review of our decision.

Members of the public who are experiencing problems with traders should contact us for advice.

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Contact the Licensing Team

Ask us a question
0114 273 4264
Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm
Block C
Staniforth Road Depot
Sheffield
S9 3HD

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Supporting information

Schedule 4 - Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

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