Street Trading

General Information

There are controls on Street Trading in Oxford in an effort to improve the environment. There are currently 30 approved street trading sites for annual trading on pavements and roadsides in Oxford.

Weekly Street Trading takes place at present in Cornmarket Street, Oxford and there are 2 sites.

Street trading enforcement is managed by our Environmental Development team. The enforcement officer is responsible for maintaining standards with traders, investigating illegal street trading and peddling, and unauthorised distribution of free printed matter on designated land (leafleting).

Street Trading Policy

Following consultation with stakeholders the Council adopted its Street Trading Policy in April 2010. The policy sets out Oxford City Council's framework for the management of street trading in Oxford. The Council regulates the location and number of street traders through the street trading scheme and this policy document guides the Council when it considers applications for Street Trading Consents. It also informs applicants of the parameters in which the authority will make decisions and how their needs will be addressed.

Street Trading Policy (178kB PDF)

Annual Consent

Annual consents run from 1 April to 31 March, however ice cream traders only trade for the summer months.

Street Trading Consent Application Form (52kB PDF)
Street Trading Employee Form (25kB PDF)
General conditions for annual traders (33kB PDF)

If you are going to be selling hot food and drink between 23:00 and 05:00 you will require a Premises Licence.

Trade Waste

All street traders are responsible for making sure that their waste and recycling is disposed of properly and that no litter is left in the street. Visit our Commercial Recycling and Waste page for more information and how to apply for a licensed waste carrier.

Weekly Street Trading Rota (Non Food and Drink)

Please call 01865 252561 or email street_trading@oxford.gov.uk to enquire about current availability on the rota.

Weekly Street Trading Information

• Current fee is £162 for 7 consecutive days trading (Monday to Sunday).
• General conditions for weekly street trading can be found in the street trading policy document.
• Stalls shall not exceed 2.3 metres in height. Area of stall shall be 2 metres x 1 metre.
• There is an application process for the weekly street trading rota.
• Fees must be paid 2 weeks before trading commences to confirm the site, otherwise the site will be allocated to another trader.
• There are currently 2 sites for weekly street trading. They are both located in Cornmarket Street, Oxford at present.

Weekly Street Trading Consent Application Form (48kB PDF)
General conditions for weekly street trading (32kB PDF)

Designated Street Trading Sites

A consent street is a street in which street trading can only take place if the consent of the local authority has first been obtained.

Consent Streets (93kB PDF)

Prohibited streets are streets where no street trading may take place at all.

Prohibited Streets (107kB PDF)

Map of street trading sites in Oxford

Roadside evening hot food sites 6.30pm - 3am
Pavement sites 8am - 9pm
Ice cream sales sites 8am - 6pm

Applying to be a street trader in Oxford - Step by Step Guide

• Read the street trading policy.
• Complete the relevant application form depending on what you are selling.
• Read the checklist that applies to you before you submit your application.
• Make sure you have read and understood the fees and charges.
• Send in your application either by post or email (scanned documents) and wait for a response. Someone will contact you within 5 working days.
• Consultation will take place when deciding on granting an application for a new site in a consent street.
• If you have any further questions please call or email us.

Fees and Charges 2012/13

• Annual consent: £7,315
• Six months: £3,762
• Three months: £1,829
• One month: £611
• One week: £162

Please see the following links for further information:

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (91kB PDF)
Peddling and the Pedlar's Act 1871 (96kB PDF)
Street Trading at Events Application Form (40kB PDF)

Contact Us

Email: street_trading@oxford.gov.uk
Telephone: 01865 252561
Fax: 01865 252344
Address: Oxford City Council, St Aldate's Chambers, 109 St Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1DS

Page last reviewed 24 April 2012