| West Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet have decided to abolish and refund the fees for businesses to undertake sales and display material on the public highway. |
| Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Duncan Enright said, “During the pandemic, legislation was created to allow more businesses to trade outside, which has proved to be popular with businesses across the district.
“Outdoor drinking and dining areas have become hugely popular and we want to allow businesses the opportunity to grow by welcoming more businesses to expand their business without unnecessary fees.” “We hope that by abolishing the payment it will encourage more on-street facilities, making our towns attractive and thriving places to eat and socialise.” Pavement licences will still be required for businesses to operate outdoors and owners will be required to fill out an application, however, no payment will be required to apply for a licence. The council currently has seventeen active pavement licences, which cost businesses £100 per year. All licences issued in 2022 will be refunded to businesses and no further fees will be due for applying for pavement licences in the future. This includes businesses serving food and drink, such as bars and restaurants, who will be able to seat and serve customers outdoors without paying for a pavement licence.
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