Pavement licences
A pavement licence allows businesses such as cafés, restaurants, pubs, and bars to apply for permission to place tables, chairs, and other removable furniture outside their premises on public pavements and other pedestrianised areas.
This system is designed to support businesses by making it easier and quicker to use outdoor space for serving food and drink.
Key Requirements
To apply for a pavement licence, businesses must meet several basic requirements:
- Location: The furniture must be placed on the public highway (usually the pavement) directly outside the business premises.
- Furniture: Items must be removable and may include tables, chairs, barriers, umbrellas, heaters, or other suitable furniture.
- Accessibility: A clear path must be maintained for pedestrians, including people with disabilities. The layout must not obstruct access or create safety hazards.
- Public Safety and Cleanliness: Businesses are responsible for keeping the area safe, clean, and free from obstruction, litter, or noise disturbance.
Licences are temporary and can be subject to conditions set by the local authority, including hours of operation or specific layout requirements.
The pavement licence provides a flexible way for hospitality businesses to expand outdoors while balancing the needs of pedestrians, local residents, and businesses.
The Secretary of State has issued guidance on the pavement licensing provisions.
How to apply
Worcestershire Regulatory Services administers the pavement licensing regime on behalf of the six district Councils in Worcestershire. The application process is set out in each Council's Policy Statement on Pavement Licences:
Bromsgrove District Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
Malvern Hills District Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
Redditch Borough Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
Worcester City Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
Wychavon District Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
Wyre Forest District Council Policy Statement on Pavement Licences
You should make sure you know the requirements of the policy for the district you apply to.
To apply for a licence, you will need to complete the application form below:
Once completed the form must be emailed to enquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk
Instructions on how to make online payments to the Council in whose area you are applying for a pavement licence can be found below:
How to pay Bromsgrove District Council for a pavement licence application
How to pay Malvern Hills District Council for a pavement licence application
How to pay Redditch Borough Council for a pavement licence application
How to pay Worcester City Council for a pavement licence application
How to pay Wychavon District Council for a pavement licence application
How to pay Wyre Forest District Council for a pavement licence application
Please note that your application will not be considered complete until the application form, supporting documents and proof of payment have all been received. We urge you to send all documents attached to a single email if at all possible, so that we can deal with your application as efficiently as possible.
On the same day that you make the application, you are required to give notice of your application by fixing a notice of the application to the premises so that it is readily visible to, and can be read easily by, members of the public who are not on the premises. You also have to make sure the notice remains in place until the end of the public consultation period which means the period of 14 days beginning with the day after you make the application.
A template notice you can use for this purpose can be downloaded here:
Producing the plan for your application
It is important that the plan you submit with your application contains enough information to make a decision to grant a licence.
The plan should clearly show
- the area to be covered by the licence, and its relation the premises, the highway, and any adjacent properties
- the layout of the tables, chairs, barriers, etc. within the licensed area
- fixed items such as bollards, streetlamps, waste bins etc. both in and immediately around the licensed area
The plan must include clear measurements of all important dimensions of the licensed area. It should include at least the following measurements:
- the distance from the building to the edge of the licensed area
- the distance from the edge of the licensed area to the edge of the pavement
- the width of any gap between the edge of the licensed area and any fixed item such as bollards that are not included in the licensed area
We have an example of a suitable plan which you can use as a basis for your own:
After submitting your application
When an application is submitted, there is a short consultation period (14 days) during which views from the public and local stakeholders may be collected.
Once consultation has ended, a decision on granting a licence must be made within 14 days. If no decision is made in that time, the licence is usually deemed granted automatically.