Street Trading, Pedlars, Busking

Street Trading

The Council does not issue licences for street traders.  However, if you want to sell goods in the street, there are a number of points you will need to consider:

• you must obtain permission from the relevant landowner.  In most cases, this will be Devon County Council (tel. 0845 155 1015; website:www.devon.gov.uk) as highways authority or the District Council for areas such as car parks, parks, beaches etc.  In some cases the land may be privately owned and you will need to contact the landowner in person (or their agent) for the necessary permission.
• you should contact your local police station to make sure they have no objections to your activity.  In particular, you should make sure that you will not cause an obstruction or congestion in the area you propose to trade.
• if you are selling food, you may also need to register with the Council's Food and Safety Team (www.torridge.gov.uk/food)
• under the Licensing Act 2003, you will require a licence if you intend to sell hot food and/or drink between 11.00 pm and 5.00 am.

Pedlar's Certificate

A pedlars certificate is a certificate that allows a person to trade (often selling trinkets, household goods and other hand made objects) whilst on foot. Pedlars can travel from:

• door to door
• place to place, or
• town to town.

It is the means by which a pedlar trades that distinguishes a pedlar from a street trader. The means of a pedlar are mobile, whereas the means of a street trader are static i.e. they have a fixed stall.

Pedlars certificates are issued by the police.

A pedlars certificate once issued can be used anywhere in the United Kingdom. The "pedlar" cannot set up a fixed pitch from which to trade, but rather moves around acquiring custom. You must trade on foot and carry your goods with you (you can use something like a small trolley).

Busking

If you wish to carry out busking in Torridge, you do not currently need a licence or permit from the Council.   If you are performing on the street or highway, you should first obtain permission from Devon County Council as the highways authority.  We recommend that you also contact the police as they will want to be satisfied that you will not be obstructing the highway or thoroughfare.  If you are performing on private land, you will need permission from the landowner in question.

Although no licence is required, you should ensure that you do not play music at a volume which causes nuisance to nearby residents or businesses.  If you need advice on noise levels, you should contact our Environmental Protection Team on 01237-428700.