Covid 19 - What you need to know - Pavement Licence Act Progresses

As we have previously reported the Government have introduced plans to streamline the route for businesses such as cafes, restaurants and bars to secure a licence to place furniture on the highway.

The ‘Business and Planning Bill’ has now passed the initial stages of the process in the House of Commons and will, we understand, be listed for discussion in the House of Lords on 6th July.

Discussion of and amendments to the Bill will have to be completed however Royal Assent (and the Act coming into force )is hoped to be achieved by the end of July. Although pubs and restaurants are due to re-open this weekend and will not be able to take advantage of the proposed changes until they become law, this timetable would represent an extremely swift passage through the process.