Mobile street traders may need council consent to trade

Mobile traders including ice cream, coffee, and hot takeaway food vans in Swindon could soon need council permission to continue trading.

Swindon Borough Council has agreed to put forward a new policy which would see mobile traders come under the licensing control of the authority.

If the new policy is adopted, mobile traders would be limited to 30 minutes at a time in any one location, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The policy will go before the full council and if approved, will be brought into effect this month.

Under the new policy, traders fundraising for charity at a charity event would not have to apply to the council for permission.

Whilst mobile traders, who might not be able to get properly set up within the 30 minute limit, could ask for longer permission if they have good reason.

The council's licensing officers had also proposed that quarterly payments of the licencing fee should be stopped to save officer's time.

But following feedback from traders, the fee can still be paid quarterly as well as annually.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.