Leeds City Council implemented a city wide street trading consent scheme under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 on 1 January 2008. This means that anyone wishing to trade from the public highway anywhere within the Leeds district will have to obtain consent from Leeds City Council prior to trading. To obtain consent for the scheme you will need to go through a tender process.
It is an offence to trade on a public highway without consent. The maximum penalty is £1000 per day of trading, plus costs.
There are several exemptions from the definition of what constitutes street trading. These include:
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a person acting as a pedlar under a Pedlar's Certificate;
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anything done in a market or fair;
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trading in a trunk road picnic area;
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trading as a news vendor;
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trading at a petrol filling station;
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trading on premises used as a shop or in the street adjoining a shop as part of the business of the shop;
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selling things as part of the business of a roundsman, eg a milkman.
Potential traders interested in applying to tender for consent to trade, or existing traders wanting to apply to renew consent, should contact
Leeds City Council, Markets Office
Telephone: 0113 2145162
Any complaints about existing traders or possible illegal trading activity should be referred to the highways and environmental enforcement team on 0113 222 4406 or by email to environmental.action@leeds.gov.uk