Street Trading
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday in the Lower High Street. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday in the Lower High Street. New and renewal licences will incur a fee of £75.00.Street trading is classified into four categories and covers any land to which the public have access without payment. This includes car parks and streets, parks and all adjacent paved or grassed areas, whether they are on private or public land. It is illegal to trade without a consent or licence.
Street Trading Policy
Our current Street Trading Policy [pdf] 414KB was adopted on the 17 May 2018
Street Trading Licence
A street trading licence applies to those wishing to trade on market days on Ashford Town Market (Lower High Street) which operates every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday between 9am-3pm.
We are currently welcoming new applications from traders offering the following goods/services:
- Fishmonger
- Footwear
- Books
To promote the market and new businesses, new traders can apply to use a starter/trial pitch. For two months, new traders will pay no pitch fee. This will help keep start-up costs to a minimum and gives traders a chance to develop a customer base at Ashford Town Market. Ideal for existing market traders considering Ashford, start-up businesses, and for first time traders. If you are interested in trying out a stall at Ashford market please email the Licensing team.
Applications for Ashford Town Market can be made using the following forms:
- Download our application form for a street trading licence for Ashford [pdf] 260KB
- Apply for a Market traders parking permit [pdf] 65KB
New and renewal licences will incur a fee of £75.00.
Static Street Trading Consents
In addition to the application, fee and public liability insurance certificate we also require proof of your permission to trade at the location from the landowner (local authority or private). This can be in the form of a letter or email. It must state the full address of the trading site, your (applicant’s details), nature of the proposed business and the proposed days and times of trading. It must also confirm they give permission for this activity on their land.
Food mobiles
Static consents will be for those wishing to trade at the same location, more than twice a week and/or for more than four hours a day. This licence is likely to require planning permission.
A new static/short term static application [pdf] 352KB will incur a fee of £207.00 if planning permission has not been applied for and granted. However, if permission is already granted the fee is £104.00. Renewal applications are £75.00.
Short term static consents
Fish and chip vans
If you want to trade at the same location, up to twice a week but for not more four hours a day then this is the appropriate permission. A separate consent is required for each location traded in. This type of consent will not usually require planning permission.
A new static/short term static application [pdf] 352KB will incur a fee of £100.00 plus £25.00 per site thereafter (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 are £75.00.
If it is a static/short term static application on an existing site [pdf] 377KB the fee is £75.00.
Hawker
Ice cream/sandwich vans
For those trading at different locations in the borough for no longer than 20 minutes a hawker's licence will be applicable.
A new hawker application [pdf] 398KB will incur a fee of £75.00.
Contact us
Please email the Licensing team if you require any further information.
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Do I need public liability insurance for street trading? | Yes, to cover £2m. |
| Where can I trade from my burger van? | You can locate a private site but you will need landowner's and planning permission. Email licensing with the details when you have found a potential site. Fees listed on the website. |
| Can I trade from a lay-by? | The only lay-bys you could be permitted to trade in are already occupied. Vacant pitches will be advertised on this page should any become available. We no longer operate a waiting list for these pitches. |
| What do I need to trade as an ice cream or a sandwich van? | A hawker licence (trading no longer than 20 minutes in the same location)
Application form, fee, public liability insurance £2m. |
| How can I trade as a fish and chip van? | Short term static consent but email licensing with details of location as a consultation process may be required. |
| When and where does Ashford Town Market operate? |
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday in the Lower High Street. |
| How much a stall cost at Ashford Town Market? | There is an annual licence fee but you can pay the fee for the first month before going to the annual licence. Refer to website. Pitch fees are payable at £1 per foot Ashford via monthly standing order |
| Can I trade every other week at Ashford Town Market? | No you have to trade every week. |
| Do you run the market at Orbital Park? | No this is run by Hobbs Parker |
| Do you run the market in Tenterden High Street? | No, this is run by Tenterden Town Council |
| Do I need a licence for a boot fair? | No. |