Pavement licences will speed up recovery, says UKH

UKHospitality (UKH) says permanent pavement licences will accelerate the industry's post-pandemic recovery.

The trade body states that outdoor dining and drinking areas have grown in popularity over the last two years, in some cases ensuring the survival of businesses that were unable to serve customers indoors due to the coronavirus restrictions.

In response to a recent Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) call for views on pavement licences, UKH says the temporary scheme – introduced last April and due to end this September – should become permanent, and would be 'low-cost, low-admin'.

UKH chief executive, Kate Nicholls, comments: "Pavement licences have been a really positive success story and, in many cases, have enabled businesses to remain open, when otherwise they would have had to close or restrict their opening hours, threatening thousands of jobs. 

"As well as businesses, outdoor spaces have also brought benefits to those town and city centres previously without al fresco drinking and dining opportunities, enabling them to begin the process of levelling up, and start to enjoy the sort of outdoor experiences available elsewhere. Not only that, but by helping local economies recover – and recover faster – this will undoubtedly contribute to the long-term levelling up of the regions. 

"It's crucial, therefore, that we press for the pavement licence scheme to be made permanent, so that pubs, bars and restaurants struggling to recover from the pandemic can get back on their feet much quicker."

UKH's consultation response also recognises that making the scheme permanent may require changes in terms of cost and how it's administered, but calls for it to remain easy to use and cheap enough for businesses to continue using it. It has agreed with a proposed £350 cap on application fees, and suggests that any new fee system should encourage and allow local authorities to offer subsidised – or even free – pavement licences, which some councils have already done with great success for businesses and local areas. 

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