Pavement licences now available for alfresco dining
MORE of us will be able to enjoy Hyndburn’s cafes, bars and restaurants if owners apply for a ‘pavement licence’.
Council chiefs say they have now been given the go-ahead under new government legislation to start issuing the temporary licences to allow businesses to provide alfresco dining and drinking.
The scheme is intended to make it easier for hospitality businesses to bounce back from the lockdown, while allowing customers to maintain social distancing.
Venues have previously had to apply for street café licences, but the new legislation makes the process cheaper and quicker for applicants.
Under the new law, an application triggers a seven-day consultation period, and then councils have another seven days to make a decision – if they go over this time the licence is automatically granted.
Pavement licences issued under the new system will last until September 30, 2021 and will cost £50.
Tables and chairs placed on the highway without permission can be illegal as they could amount to an obstruction.
However, permission to use the highway for pavement cafes may be granted by the council under the Business and Planning Act 2020.
Council leader Miles Parkinson OBE said: “This is great news and we are encouraging business owners to submit their applications as soon as possible so that licences can be issued and residents and visitors can start to enjoy alfresco drinking and eating.”
A Hyndburn council statement said: “Whilst the Council wishes to encourage pavement cafes, it is important that they are properly located and managed.
“This is to ensure that they meet the standards we expect in Hyndburn and that they do not obstruct the highway nor create a hazard for pedestrians, especially for blind, partially sighted and other people with disabilities.”
Applications for a pavement licence can be submitted by visiting www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk and searching for ‘pavement licence’.