Pubs and restaurants can apply for pavement licence to spread Peterborough's 'cafe culture'

Pubs, restaurants and cafes are being urged to apply for a pavement licence to help spread Peterborough’s ‘cafe culture.’

Current licences expire on September 30, and businesses will need to re-apply for a 12-month licence starting from 1 October 2022 if they wish to continue to have an outdoor licence – or apply for the first time.

Councillor Steve Allen, deputy leader for Peterborough City Council, said: “You only have to walk around our city centre in the evenings to see that the café culture approach is working. The Government has now extended the pavement licence scheme for another year and so we’re asking for businesses to renew their pavement licence to keep operating in this way.”

A number of businesses in the city have already benefitted from receiving a pavement licence, including Argo Lounge, Five Guys, Pizza Express and the Queens Head.

Pavement licences have helped the natural and organic spread of a café culture approach in Peterborough, which helped the city bounce back following Covid-19.

Licences will be granted when the outdoor offering is temporary and easy to take down in a short space of time (if required), does not block the public highway and is in keeping with the look of other outdoor offerings in the city.

There is a £100 administration fee for all applications, whether from a business with an existing licence or from one applying for the first time.