Business advice and support

As a result of restrictions imposed during Covid-19 the internal standing or seating capacity of your premises is likely to be considerably reduced. This in turn will raise challenges for your business.

One of the ways forward could be to make use of the outside areas of your premises, such as pavements and other open spaces. We are looking to work with you to consider the feasibility of increasing the amount of available space in Hereford and the market towns that may be used for pavement cafes and bars and would encourage you to consider this as an option for your business.

Both the council as the licensing authority and the police are keen to support reasonable proposals, but want to ensure that this is done in a safe way, which will protect both your customers and your staff, as well as the public and local residents. This is likely to take the form of a variation for those businesses with a premises licence for alcohol, although we may suggest temporary event notices are applied for in the short term.

Pavement café licences

A pavement cafe licence allows the licence-holder to place removable furniture on the highway or in a public space adjacent to the premises it applies to.

You will need to acquire a pavement café licence from the council:

• If you intend to apply to place furniture on the highway or public space, for example tables and/or chairs
• Whether or not you intend to serve alcohol

Our officers and the police are keen to discuss plans and would be available to visit your premises and offer free technical advice as to how this could be best achieved.

Full details of the requirements and application process are on the pavement café licence page.