Pavement licence

A pavement licence is a temporary licence. It has been brought into effect for food and drink businesses such as:

• Cafes
• Restaurants
• Bars

This is so they can place removable furniture on certain highways, next to their premises. It will support businesses to operate safely while social distancing measures remain in place. It will also provide much needed income over the summer months. As well as protecting as many hospitality jobs as possible.

Licences can be issued for a minimum of 3 months. They will not be valid after 30 September 2021.

Further information is available in the Government guidance at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pavement-licences-draft-guidance

Pavement Licences are subject to mandatory, national and local conditions

How to apply:

Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted by email to licensing@dartford.gov.uk

• Download a Pavement Licence Application
• Please ensure you have read the mandatory, national and local conditions above.
• Plans of the area must include:
  • Dimensions for the area that the application pertains to;
  • Layout and dimensions of the tables and seating to indicate how the applicant will achieve the required  minimum of 1 metre space between customers seated back to back;
  • Show where the seating will be located in relation to the entrance to the premises (social distancing required for staff entering & exiting the premises);
  • If other equipment (ie: A boards) is to be placed within the licensed area details of where this will be located so as not to cause an obstruction to pedestrians or for access to some of the proposed seating.
• A Covid risk assessment to show what measures the business will put in place for cleaning and sanitising tables chairs, contact surfaces etc.
• Details of space left for pedestrians to safely walk past the premises.
• Public Liability Insurance.
• Evidence of right to occupy the premises.

Businesses are also required to display a notice of the application at the premises and provide photographic evidence of this when applications are submitted:

• Download a Pavement Licence site notice template

Any queries should be emailed to licensing@dartford.gov.uk.

Representations:

Any representations should be emailed to licensing@dartford.gov.uk before the representations deadline date shown.

Please note these temporary measures are brought in under the Business and Planning Act 2020. They are intended to support businesses and the economy to recover from the severe disruption caused by Covid-19. This includes helping businesses adjust to new ways of working. It also assists in the challenging process of getting the economy moving again. The new fast track temporary Pavement Licence procedure is a streamlined process. It is designed to support the hospitality industry to recover lost capacity by permitting additional use of the highway. The intention behind the legislation is to assist businesses in the most challenging operating environment in living memory.

The Local Authority intends to issue Pavement Licences to comply with the Act. This is unless there are good reasons not to. For example:

• Evidence or concerns relating to obstruction
• Insufficient room for disabled access
• Safety
• Crime
• Disorder or nuisance

These key areas are covered in the Pavement Licence mandatory, national and local conditions. Representations should not include anything already included in the conditions. Representations can include suggested additional conditions. This is dependent on the individual premises, if reasonable and proportionate.

Pavement Licence Applications:

Below is a list of the current Pavement Licence application for consultation.