A street trader on Oxford Street is one step closer to permanently relocating his pitch after a Westminster Licensing Sub-Committee considered the proposal.
Mr. Fordham, the licence holder for Isolated Pitch 3005, sells Ice Cream, Frozen Confectionary and other similar commodities
. He was originally located on Portman Street. However, highway works in 2018 forced a temporary relocation to Oxford Street. Now, the Licensing Service is seeking to make that temporary location permanent.
The proposal involves rescinding the designation for Pitch 3005 on Portman Street and designating a new location for it on Oxford Street. The proposed location is 1.1m from the kerb edge, located between the tree and telephone box outside 494/496 Oxford Street
.
The Licensing Service undertook a consultation with the Highway Authority, police, the licensee, and his representative. A representation was received from Eugene O'Regan on behalf of Mr Fordham, requesting an alternative location to the right of the location proposed by the Licensing Service, replacing the cycle racks, and an increase in pitch size to 4m x 2m. The reasoning was to allow for internal trading and provide staff with adequate safety and protection from the elements, as well as storage of stock. A secondary consultation was then carried out, and an objection was received from the Head of Highways Planning.
The report references the City of Westminster Statement of Street Licensing Policy, specifically Policy ST5, which deals with designation and de-designation of street trading pitches. Relevant points include:
- The Licensing authority may de-designate pitches that are no longer suitable for licensed street trading.
- The Licensing authority will not designate any new isolated street trading pitches, apart from in exceptional circumstances.
- The circumstances under which a location may be considered not suitable include:
- It has not been used for trading for a period of greater than six months;
- There has been altered circumstances due to the increased pedestrian footfall resulting from altered highways layouts, public realms improvements or construction projects;
- Where there is new development and the siting and operation of the trading pitch would adversely affect local pedestrian flow or cause congestion, including close to the transport stops or stations.
- Policy ST5(4) states that the licensing authority may, in partnership with Planning and Highways colleagues, the Police, the licence holder and other interested parties identify a new site for designation as a pitch suitable for permanent street trading where an existing permanent licence holder has been displaced from his usual pitch due to there no longer being enough space for trading or due to the pitch being dedesignated for whatever reason.
It also mentions sections of the City of Westminster Act 1999 relating to designating resolutions.
The Licensing Sub-Committee, comprised of Councillor Robert Eagleton ( Deputy Cabinet Member - Housing), Councillor Louise Hyams, and Councillor Judith Southern ( Lead Member - Older Persons Champion), convened on Thursday 31 July 2025, to discuss the matter, among other licensing applications. The outcome of the sub-committee's decision is not yet public.