Mobile Catering - Planning Permission and Council Soaring Fees

by mike
(S/Wales)

Hi David, just thought I would let you know how I'm getting on after writing before.

Well after driving around for a couple of weeks it seemed there was a catering van everywhere I looked, then one day we needed to buy a new shed, so we went down to this place on a small industrial estate bought the shed and got talking to the owner.

Turns out he owns a lot of the land on there so was willing for me to trade on his land, I thought great, no other vans near, very busy for a small estate.

So I got in touch with local council, now bearing in mind that the van will be situated off the road and on private land, I have to have planning permission and pay about £1400 a year to the council.

On top of what I must say is a very fair rent off the landlord, I also have to provide the size of my van in metric, photo's of it, photo's of me, photo's of the pitch.

Then I have to pay about £330 to the planning dept, on the plus side I did meet the two girls down at the pitch, one from planning, one from environmental health and they both said they couldn’t see any problems arising as the van was off the road, toilets close to hand etc.

But it does seem a bit wrong I have to pay all this money when the van is on private land and I haven't paid for my street traders license yet, god know how much that will be.

All the best David

Keep up this great site.


Mike