Westminster’s street markets run at a deficit of around £2.4 million a year, paid for by the council and its taxpayers, and new pitch and licence fees are proposed to put them on a fairer, more sustainable footing, Cllr San Abishev, Deputy Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, has told BBC London.
At the moment every trader pays a flat daily pitch fee of £22. Under the proposals, which follow a consultation that closed at the end of September, fees would instead vary by day of the week, location and the type of goods sold. Non-food traders would pay the least, followed by fresh food, hot food and takeaways, with hot food traders on Berwick Street and Strutton Ground paying between £39 and £44 a day.
The cost of a new permanent licence to sell non-food goods would rise from £96 to £964, but most traders in Westminster already hold permanent licences and would not pay the higher application fee. If approved, the changes would take effect in January.
Cllr Abishev said: “Even after these changes, they will still operate at a deficit of around £1.6m a year, which the council and the taxpayers will continue to fund.”
He confirmed that the 5% discount for paying by direct debit will stay, alongside fee waivers and reductions, adding: “With these measures, we want to create a fairer, more sustainable system and ensure Westminster’s markets can thrive for many years to come.”
Some traders have told the council’s licensing committee that the increases go too far, and the council is now considering the consultation responses.
The council estimated in July that it faces a £160 million budget gap by 2029 because of changes to government funding, rising costs, growing demand for services and inflation. Read more about the government funding changes.
