Pavement licences
Outside dining has become ever more popular and is a brilliant way to increase your appeal to the public. If you want to offer outside seating space, you can apply for a pavement licence.
Pavement Licences have been made permanent by the Government at the end of March 2024. We are in the process of transitioning over and the website will be fully updated shortly. Any Licences granted after 31 March 2024 will valid for up to two years.
Who can apply?
- Pubs, restaurants, bars, cafes, snack bars, coffee shops, or ice cream parlours
- Businesses who hold £5 million public liability insurance
Current costs
- New application £100 for one year
- Changing existing consent: free
Conditions and requirements
Please carefully read our set of local conditions and conditions for venues located at Oxford Street and using the Carlton Place pedestrianised area, which also include:
- National conditions
- Ensuring accessibility for all
- Enabling a smoke free area within the tables and chairs area
These outline the requirements and responsibilities for an applicant. They also outline the potential reasons permission can be revoked or enforcement action can be taken by the relevant city council departments.
You must register and successfully complete the nationally recognised counter terrorism training product referred to as ACT eLearning package. Please visit Protect UK Police for details.
How to apply, renew, change, or surrender consent
You won't be able to save this form to complete later, so please allow yourself at least five minutes to fill in the form.
Although this online form can be completed on a mobile phone, due to the length of this form we recommend you use a desktop, laptop or tablet.
The consultation and decision period for pavement licences are 14 days overall.
If you are making a change, please note that the name of the licensee is non-transferable and therefore any changes of ownership of the premises means a new application will have to be made.
You may wish to read the Pavement café guidance.
For new applications and renewals, you will need to hand:
Clear and legible site plan with dimensions of the relevant area, showing a clear 1.8 metre space to allow pedestrians to pass any tables and chairs area. Please also show any nearby street furniture, cabinets, streetlighting.
Designated smoking area plan. This should include clearly labelled smoking and non-smoking sections in 50% of the proposed area
Evidence of £5m public liability insurance, which covers the additional seating area. We advise that this has three months left on the policy period
Details of any furniture proposed, so the type and number of any items and layout proposed- Days of the week and the hours of each day that you intend to use the highway
Payment card details
Apply for, renew. change, or surrender tables and chairs consent
Once you have applied
Premises applying must display a notice of their application and a plan of the proposed area in clear view at the premises window, the day the application is submitted, with the consultation period running for seven days starting from the next working day after the application is made.
The consultation process is the legally required means for the public and stakeholders to object where necessary to proposals.
Download a notice of application form
Once the consultation period is over, a seven-day decision period is started to allow for the review of any objections and a decision is made to either grant or refuse the request. We will notify you with the outcome after this consultation period. Should no decision be made in that seven-day period, the licence is considered granted.
Current applications
If you have objections to these applications, you can email: pavementlicencerepresentations.legal@southampton.gov.uk
