Street Trading

Street trading refers to trading on any land where the public have access without payment. This includes: car parks, streets and parks (and their adjacent paved or grassed areas). It is illegal to trade without a consent or licence. Street trading is broken down into a number of different categories.

Street Trading Policy

Our current Street Trading Policy [pdf] 610KB was adopted in May 2018 and revised in December 2019.

Ashford Town Market – Street Trading Licence

You’ll need a street trading licence if you want to trade on market days at Ashford Town Market (Lower High Street). The market is open every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday between 9am-3pm. A pitch fee will also apply, which is based upon your pitch size.

We advise visiting the market and speaking with current traders if you are considering hiring a stall. You can email the Licensing team to find out more.

Applications for Ashford Town Market can be made using the following forms:

New and renewal licences cost £79.00. You will need to set up a direct debit for your pitch fees before you start trading; fees are collected by monthly direct debit.

With immediate effect, we are not accepting any applications to trade at Ashford Town Market until 1 January 2021. Any applications we receive will be returned.

Other Street Trading – Street Trading Consent

When trading at other locations throughout the borough there are some additional documents that you have to submit. We require an application, fee, public liability insurance certificate and proof that you have permission to trade at your location from the landowner.

Food mobiles

If you want to trade at the same location more than twice a week and/or for more than four hours a day then you’ll need a static consent. You may also require planning permission for this type of licence. This will need to be supplied on your application for a consent.

A short term static application for a new site [pdf] 254KB will cost £218.00 if planning permission has not been applied for and granted. However, if permission is already granted then the fee is £110.00. Renewal applications cost £79.00.

We operate the following pitches:

**Council trading pitches**
A28 Furners Wood	Currently occupied
A28 Great Chart (Tenterden bound)	Currently occupied
A28 Great Chart (Ashford bound)	Currently occupied
A20 Hothfield (Maidstone bound)	Currently occupied
Recreation Ground Road Car Park, Tenterden	Currently occupied
A28 Chilham (Ashford bound)	Currently occupied
A28 Layby Ashford Bound, Great Chart Bypass	Vacant

Short term static consents – Fish and chip vans, etc.

If you want to trade at the same location, up to twice a week but for less than four hours a day, then you’ll need a short term static consent. You’ll need a separate consent for each location you trade in. This type of consent doesn’t usually require planning permission.

A short term static application for a new site [pdf] 254KB will cost an initial £105.00 plus £27.00 per site afterwards (when submitted at the same time). We will undertake a 28 day consultation process to consider the impact of the application on the local area. Renewal applications cost £79.00.

If it is a short term static application for an existing site [pdf] 274KB, the fee is £79.00.