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Do I Need a Separate Street Trading Licence for Each Location?

by Mr Anthony Aziz
(manchester)

Navy blue single-axle mobile catering trailer parked as a street food pitch on a South Manchester street

Navy blue single-axle mobile catering trailer parked as a street food pitch on a South Manchester street

I want to pitch a mobile food trailer in 4 different locations in South Manchester so was wondering of I would need a licence/consent for each location?

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Sep 04, 2026
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by: MobCater

Pitching at several spots across South Manchester is a smart way to build a steady week, so it is well worth getting the licence side right before you commit to any of them. The short answer is that you cannot get one blanket licence that lets you trade anywhere. Street trading in England is tied to the actual location, and Manchester City Council runs a street trading consent scheme where you list every street or pitch you want to work. So for your four locations you would name all four on the application, and in practice you are asking permission for each spot rather than buying a single roaming permit.

The bit that catches people out is council boundaries. What we all call South Manchester spills over into Trafford and Stockport in places, and those are separate councils with their own street trading policies and their own fees. If your four pitches fall under more than one council, you apply to each council that covers those pitches, not just Manchester.

Private land is a different animal. If any of your spots is a pub car park, a retail park or an industrial estate, you do not need council street trading consent for that one. You need the landowner's written permission instead, and if you are there a lot, planning can come into it too.

Food business registration works differently again, and this is the good news. You only register once, with your home authority, meaning the council where your trailer is based and where you prep and store, at least 28 days before you start. You do not re-register in every area you trade in, although any of them can still inspect you.

One practical tip: ring each licensing team before you lock in a pitch. Popular consent streets get heavily subscribed and they weigh up whether there is room without causing an obstruction. Get the yes in writing, and keep your food registration certificate and public liability cover handy, as they will ask for both.

Best wishes

David

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing rules vary between councils, so always check with your local authority before you start trading.

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