We're in the process of drafting guidance for outdoor hospitality, covering tables and chairs, structures, decking and licences. The guidance will include real examples of good practice from around the city.
Outdoor hospitality has been a welcome addition across Bristol. It has supported local businesses and added colour, vibrancy and atmosphere to the streets.
We must make sure applications for outdoor hospitality add value to the surroundings and are safe and accessible. The area should be well designed, properly maintained and managed, and must consider the needs of others using the area including disabled people and emergency vehicles.
We have revised the application process to encourage proposals that underpin our commitment to achieving a high-quality environment for citizens and visitors.
All businesses including, but not limited to, cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants must ask the council for permission to have tables, chairs and other pavement furniture on the pavement or road.
The licences and permissions you need will depend on what furniture you want to use and where it is going to be used.
You may need up to 4 different permissions including:
- Pavement Licence
- Planning permission
- Hospitality Structure Licence
- Electrical Licence
If you want to allow customers to consume alcohol, you'll also need a premises licence to sell alcohol.
Email: pavement.licences@bristol.gov.uk
A Pavement Licence allows the licence-holder to put removable furniture on the highway, for serving food and drink, adjacent to the premises where the application was made.
Pavement Licences can only be issued on pavements, pedestrianised areas or roads closed off to vehicles.
The Pavement Licence covers:
- removable independent tables and chairs
- removable independent parasols up to 2.5 metres diameter
- independent gas bottles outdoor heaters, secured but immediately removable
- planters
- barriers
Applying for a Pavement Licence is the fastest, easiest and most affordable way to trade outdoors. It costs £100 and licences are valid for one year.
Public liability insurance
You'll need to have public liability insurance to cover at least £5 million to apply for a pavement licence and will need to include evidence of this as part of a valid application.
Having a licence ensures your Public Liability insurance policy is valid while trading on the pavement, highway or in a pedestrianised area.
Apply for a pavement licence
To submit a valid application, you'll need:
- a copy of Public Liability Insurance of at least £5 million
- a plan clearly showing the proposed area covered by the licence in relation to the highway, with measurements clearly shown. The plan will need to show how much space is free and how much space is being taken up by the proposed furniture, as well as any street furniture in the vicinity
- photos or brochures showing the proposed type of furniture and information on potential sitting of it within the area applied
- evidence that the applicant has met the requirement to give notice of the application (for example photograph)
You'll also need to consider how any furniture will impact your surroundings, and you must ensure accessibility is maintained for emergency services and disabled persons.
After you've applied
Once we've received your application and all the necessary documents, we'll start a 14 day public consultation. Your details will be published in the register of applicants and members of the public will be able to comment on your application before a decision is made.
When the public consultation period ends, we'll have another 14 days to consider your application and let you know if your licence has been granted.
When we'll issue your licence
Licences will be issued in accordance with:
- pdf our policy(183 KB)
- government guidance on Pavement Licences
- the Business and Planning Act 2020 (BPA)
The pdf standard conditions(109 KB) will apply to pavement licences.
On the day the application is made, you'll need to fix a document site notice(56 KB) and application to your premises so they are visible and can be read easily by members of the public.
Take a photo of the notice when it's installed and send it to pavement.licences@bristol.gov.uk. Keep the notice in place until the end of the public consultation period.
If you don't have a licence
Businesses without a valid licence must not place any furniture on the highway and will be asked to remove any furniture from the pavement or road.
Publishing the applications
We have a legal obligation to:
- publish all valid applications for pavement licences
- allow members of the public and other stakeholders to view and comment on an application before a decision is made
Current register of applicants
The pdf register of Pavement Licence applicants(104 KB) will be updated every day.
Comment on an application
To comment on an application or request a copy of the plans associated with an application, email pavement.licences@bristol.gov.uk.
You'll need to include the application reference number in your email.
Hospitality Structures Licence are required for:
- levelling decks or decking. This will only be considered where the camber or gradient of the highway do not allow tables and chairs to sit reasonably level. Levelling decks must not be permanent so they can be removed at short notice in cases of emergency.
- parasols greater than 2.5m diameter. This will require a Hospitality Structures Licence as well as a Pavement Licence.
Applicants must complete the Hospitality Structure Licence form and email highways.traffic@bristol.gov.uk providing the following information:
- your business name and location
- the size of the canopy
- what materials you want to use
- photo or image of the canopy
- how you'll fix the canopy to the highway or building
- if there are any utility services in proximity, for example a drain cover
- evidence of having public liability insurance to the value of 5 million that covers your operation on the highway
If an electricity supply is required a Streetscape Electrical Licence can be requested.
There are two options available depending on the setting required:
- Option A: for setting requiring up to 6kVA
- Option B: for settings requiring over 6kVA
Refer to the pdf Bristol City Council Street Space Electrical Licence Specification Guide(615 KB) .
A Pavement Licence will only grant you permission to place furniture on the highway.
Premises that have or are looking to expand outdoors, with customers consuming alcohol on the highway will need both a premises licence to sell alcohol and a Pavement Licence.
The government has announced that the temporary measures allowing off-sales of alcohol will be extended for another year, bringing these in line with the Pavement Licence extension.
Temporary measures allowing off-sales of alcohol will now end on 30 September 2023.
The temporary measure, introduced to the Business and Planning Act 2020 and Licensing Act 2003, allows all premises previously restricted to the sales of alcohol for consumption on the premises (on-sale) to supply alcohol for consumption off the premises (off-sales).
Apply for a Pavement Licence
Apply for a Pavement Licence, cost £100.
Apply for a Hospitality Structure Licence
Apply for a Hospitality Structure Licence, cost £433.