Pavement licences

The Business and Planning Act 2020 allows cafes, restaurants and bars to obtain a licence to place furniture on the pavement (and certain other types of Highway where vehicles are restricted such as pedestrian zones) to assist the hospitality sector in its recovery after the pandemic. This facility has now been extended once more, with a new terminal date of 30 September 2024.

This temporary licence establishes a quicker and lower cost option for businesses to obtain permission to place removable furniture outside their premises. Pavement licences are otherwise granted under Part 7A of the  Highways Act 1980.

Where a pavement licence is granted, clear access routes on the highway will need to be maintained, taking into account the needs of all users, including people with disabilities. Our conditions of licence state that there must be a minimum 2m depth of pavement remaining (outside the area used for the pavement licence). This may be relaxed where there are temporary road closures or other traffic orders in place.

Experimental traffic regulation order

Lichfield City Centre is currently subject to an experimental Traffic Regulation Order. This means the designation of both roads and pavements change depending on the day of week and time of day..

Experimental traffic regulation order

Further guidance

The government has also produced some guidance for businesses, which can be found on the government website.