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What Licence Do I Need for a Vintage Coffee Trike on National Trust Land?

by Louise

Navy blue vintage three-wheeled coffee and tea trike parked in National Trust parkland

Navy blue vintage three-wheeled coffee and tea trike parked in National Trust parkland

I’m looking to operate a small vintage style trike selling tea, coffee, bottled soft drinks and bought in (in packaging) biscuits, flapjacks chocolate crisps etc.

Can you please tell me the type of Licence I might need? The land is National Trust and permissions are procisionally in place for the pitch usage.

A sole trader employing no staff and liability insurance and risk assessments have been obtained/prepared.

Thanks very much

Louise

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Aug 05, 2026
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by: MobCater

Hello Louise, this sounds like a lovely little setup, and the good news is it is simpler than you might be fearing.

Because your pitch is on National Trust land rather than a public road, you do not need a council street trading licence. Those only apply when you are trading on or beside the public highway. On private land the permission that matters comes from the landowner, which is exactly the National Trust arrangement you already have in hand. I would just make sure you get that permission in writing, with the pitch location, the days you can trade and any fee spelled out, before you commit to anything.

The one thing you do need wherever you trade is to register as a food business with your local council. You do this with their environmental health team at least 28 days before your first day, it is free, and even a drinks and packaged snacks trike counts as a food business in their eyes.

Your food hygiene side is very light because you are selling bottled drinks and sealed biscuits, flapjacks and crisps that are already packed and labelled by the manufacturer. That labelling means Natasha's Law does not fall on you for those items. The one thing to keep an eye on is the tea and coffee you make on the spot, since milk is one of the fourteen allergens, so just have that information ready if anyone asks. A Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate is not strictly compulsory, but I would get one anyway. It is a day online, it costs very little, and every EHO I have dealt with likes to see it.

If your urn or water boiler runs off a propane cylinder, have that gas work fitted and checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you are boiling water electrically, that side is simpler.

You have already sorted your insurance and risk assessments, which honestly puts you ahead of a lot of people who ask me this, so you are in good shape to get going.

All the best

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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