Temporary 'Pavement Licences' to encourage café culture on local High Streets and shopping parades

New powers to encourage café culture on local High Streets and shopping parades are now in force with temporary ‘pavement licences’ allowing business owners to place external seating on pavements adjacent to their premises.  From the 21 September, owners of businesses such as cafés and restaurants will be able to apply for permission to extend onto pavements at no cost after Three Rivers acted to support local businesses and waive the standard £100 fee for this licence.

Three Rivers is supporting people visiting local shopping areas, helping them to shop in safety by providing more space. Working closely with Hertfordshire County Council which manages local roads, Three Rivers has helped to bring in the essential diversions to traffic that have created space on Rickmansworth High Street for walking, queuing – and now, taking a break from shopping.

This new use of wider pavements for café licences, which also applies on closed roads like Rickmansworth High Street, means that businesses can increase their socially safe seating area.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Lead Member for Economic Development, said “This is a great incentive for business owners to put out seats on streets with a free licence issued by the District Council. Businesses should take advantage of this opportunity to boost their business while creating a local café culture to welcome shoppers back”.