Paying For A Private Pitch Council Are Also Taking Applications For The Same Place

by Darren kane
(northern ireland county antrim)

I got in touch with my local council a few months ago regarding a pitch which is advertised as available on the council website, they informed me it has 70 applications for the licence on this pitch.This pitch has been advertised as available now for well over 18 months but has yet to be awarded to anyone .

On the same spot where the council have advertised this licence I have made an arrangement with a land owner to rent me a pitch for a trailer, this will be my first trailer which my girlfriend and myself will work together.

My question is will the council still be able to issue a roadside trading license on this pitch once I start trading the private land which is only about 10 feet from where the council plan to issue the license for.

As I will be the first person to trade on this stretch of road i think it would be unfair as i will be paying weekly rent to trade on the pitch.

Thanks for reading
Darren & Cath

Comments for Paying For A Private Pitch Council Are Also Taking Applications For The Same Place

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Sep 25, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		try elsewhere
by: Anonymous

Having dealt with councils I can easily say that they will not allow you to trade from there. They will not issue you a licence to trade it wont matter if are in private land. If it is a land that public has to pay to get in - enter then it would be different and then you would not need to apply for a licence ( eg. thats why at car boot sales catering vans do not need licence).
They will say it is too close in proximity to theirs and refuse licence.
Even of you get in before they do you you wont be technically able to start. Probably will ask you to apply for planning permission as well for change of use .
If I were you I would look elsewhere.
Councils are unhelpful and dislike catering vehicles operating as they consider them tarnishing their nice image!!!
The only difference between middle ages and now is that your head does not get chopped up for questioning them...
Good luck anyway...
Sep 24, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		Council pitch
by: Kate turner

Hi you should go ahead and rent your pith of the landowner and get set up quick.Even if the council tries to rent their pitch no way will anyone take it if you are already there.I have recently started up in a council lay by and am slowly building up regular trade that is the key to success if someone started up next to me or close I doubt my regulars would move because I do them really good deals. Good luck and go for it.

Kate
Sep 19, 2013
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starstarstarstar 		Catering Pitch Questions
by: David


Hi Darren,

I don’t know if the council will be able to or want to try and rent out this pitch knowing that there is now someone in close proximity and trading. If you have successfully and legally registered the pitch first and have all the appropriate licences – it would make no sense for the council to still try and rent out the pitch.

Also, if they did choose to do this who would really want to incur all the starting cost on a pitch right next to an already established business, which make even less sense.

Wishing you both a lot of success, and please keep us updated.
David

PS. Get my free guide on Starting a Mobile Catering Business Guide

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