11 Aug How to Apply for a Hospitality Zone in Your Area
Hospitality zones are designed to make it easier for pubs, restaurants, cafés, bars, clubs and event venues to use outdoor space and extend their trading hours.
The UK Government announced the proposed zones in July 2025 as part of wider high street and licensing reforms. The plans aim to fast-track permissions for alfresco dining, street parties and extended opening hours. However, there is currently no single national application form for businesses to create a hospitality zone. In most cases, the first step is to work with your local council and build support for a suitable area. (gov.uk)
This guide explains what hospitality businesses can do now, how to approach their council and which permissions may still be needed. It also provides practical hospitality advice for food businesses, pubs and other operators across different hospitality sectors.
What is a hospitality zone?
A hospitality zone is a defined area where local authorities may coordinate permissions for outdoor dining, pavement seating, street events and longer opening hours.
The aim is to reduce delays by allowing several businesses to work together instead of making separate, unconnected requests. A successful zone could help create a more attractive town centre, increase footfall and give hospitality businesses more space to serve customers. In practice, hospitality zones drive business growth by supporting the wider community and strengthening the local economy.
Possible uses may include:
- Outdoor tables and chairs
- Pavement cafés
- Street food and drink areas
- Seasonal hospitality spaces
- Street parties and community events
- Outdoor screenings and live entertainment
- Later opening hours for participating venues
- Coordinated public realm improvements
- A media zone for local events and screenings
The exact rules will depend on the local authority, the location and the type of activity proposed. A hospitality zone does not automatically remove the need for planning permission, licensing, highway approval or safety checks. Councils may also consider air quality, carbon emissions, accessibility and the potential impact on nearby residents.
Is there a national application process?
Not at present.
The Government’s National Licensing Policy Framework for the hospitality and leisure sectors applies to England and Wales, including businesses serving Wales. It sets out a strategic approach for a more consistent and supportive licensing system, but it does not provide businesses with one standard hospitality zone application form. (gov.uk)
This means that each local authority may decide how to:
- Identify a suitable area
- Consult local residents and businesses
- Assess traffic and pedestrian access
- Coordinate planning and licensing applications
- Set operating hours
- Manage street furniture and public space
- Deal with waste, noise and public safety
- Monitor the zone after it opens
For businesses in Yorkshire and northern England, your borough, district, metropolitan or city council will usually be the main point of contact. A local partnership, business group or zone LLP may also help coordinate participating operators.
Step 1: Find the right local authority
Start by confirming which council controls the area you want to use.
Depending on the proposal, you may need to speak to more than one council department. Useful contacts can include:
- Licensing
- Planning
- Highways
- Environmental health
- Events
- Economic development
- Regeneration
- Town centre management
- Business support
- Your local Business Improvement District, where one exists
- Local air quality or sustainability teams
Search your council’s website for terms such as:
- Hospitality zone
- Pavement licence
- Outdoor seating
- Street café
- Street trading
- Temporary Event Notice
- Licensing policy
- Town centre regeneration
- Outdoor hospitality
- Food service
- Sustainability roadmap
If you cannot find the information online, contact the council’s licensing or economic development team and ask who is leading hospitality zone or outdoor trading proposals.
Step 2: Build a clear local proposal
A council is more likely to engage with a practical proposal than a general request for more outdoor trading.
Your proposal should explain:
- The name and location of the proposed zone
- How many tables, chairs or other items are needed
- The businesses that would take part
- How pedestrians, cyclists and deliveries will be managed
- The type of activity planned
- How emergency access will be protected
- The proposed operating days and hours
- How noise and customer behaviour will be managed
- Whether the proposal is seasonal or permanent
- How the zone could support local jobs and footfall
- How diversity, inclusion and accessibility will be supported
- Whether the proposal could bring empty shops or underused premises back into use
- How waste and cleaning will be handled
For food businesses, explain how food hygiene, allergen controls, HFSS food requirements and the nutrient profiling model will be managed where relevant. If food is prepared or sold outdoors, include details of refrigeration, handwashing, waste and safe transport.
Include a simple map or marked-up street plan. Show the position of outdoor seating, barriers, planters, signage, access routes and any proposed road closures.
Example proposal structure
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Location | Street name, town centre and exact area |
| Participants | Business names, addresses and contact details |
| Purpose | Outdoor dining, events, extended trading or a combination |
| Hours | Proposed days and times |
| Layout | Seating, barriers, queues, access and delivery routes |
| Safety | Fire, first aid, accessibility and emergency arrangements |
| Community impact | Noise control, cleaning and resident communication |
| Staffing | Front-of-house, security, cleaning and event staff |
| Review plan | How success and complaints will be monitored |
| Sustainability | Air quality, energy use, carbon and waste reduction |
Approach other hospitality businesses, retailers, landlords and local organisations before contacting the council.
A joint proposal can show that the idea has wider support and is not designed to benefit only one venue. It may also allow businesses to share the cost of equipment, cleaning, security, storage and event management.
Ask participating businesses to confirm:
- Their name and premises address
- Their interest in joining the zone
- The activities they would like to offer
- Their preferred operating hours
- Any concerns they have about access or noise
- Whether they can contribute staff, equipment or funding
You can also contact:
- The local Chamber of Commerce
- A Business Improvement District
- Residents’ associations
- Community groups
- Local transport operators
- Nearby accommodation providers
- Event organisers
- Ward councillors
- The local MP
- Hospitality networks such as UKHospitality
- Inclusion and diversity groups, including Hospitality Connect
Early engagement can help identify problems before the council begins a formal consultation. It can also help create a shared story about how the zone will benefit residents, visitors, pubs and other food businesses.
Step 4: Speak to your local council
Contact the council with a short summary of your proposal and ask for a meeting.
Your first meeting should focus on understanding the process. Ask the council:
- Does the area already have an outdoor hospitality or high street policy?
- Is the council considering a hospitality zone?
- Which department will coordinate the proposal?
- Does the public highway require a pavement licence or street trading licence?
- Will planning permission be required?
- Are extended opening hours possible in this location?
- Will a premises licence variation be needed?
- What consultation will take place?
- What insurance and safety documents are required?
- Is there a fee for the application or permission?
- Who will manage the zone after approval?
- What is the expected decision timetable?
- Are there local requirements relating to air quality, carbon or packaging restrictions?
- Can the council provide information about relevant rates calculator tools or local business support?
Keep a written record of the meeting and agree the next steps in writing.
Step 5: Check the permissions you may need
A hospitality zone may simplify coordination, but businesses must still check the permissions that apply to their specific activity.
Pavement licences
If you want to place tables and chairs on a public pavement or highway, you may need a pavement licence or equivalent local permission.
The application may require:
- A plan of the seating area
- The proposed furniture
- Operating hours
- Public liability insurance
- Accessibility information
- Details of barriers or boundary markers
- A cleaning and waste plan
- Evidence of consultation or public notices
Local requirements vary, so check your council’s current guidance.
Street trading licences
If you plan to sell food or drink from a stall, vehicle or other setup in the street, you may need a street trading licence.
GOV.UK advises businesses to contact the relevant council. You may need to provide details of where and when you intend to trade, and councils may charge a fee or restrict the days and times permitted. Trading without the required licence can lead to a fine of up to £1,000. (gov.uk)
Premises licences
A later closing time or extended alcohol sales may require a new premises licence or a variation to your existing licence.
You may need to update:
- The licensable activities
- Alcohol sales hours
- Regulated entertainment
- Outdoor service areas
- The premises plan
- Your operating schedule
- Your arrangements for preventing public nuisance
A hospitality zone cannot override the Licensing Act 2003 or the conditions attached to your premises licence.
Temporary Event Notices
For one-off events, a Temporary Event Notice may be suitable. This can apply to activities such as:
- Street food events
- Outdoor music
- Seasonal markets
- Sports screenings
- Community celebrations
- One-off late-night events
- Family events involving children
Ask your licensing team whether a Temporary Event Notice is appropriate. The Government has also stated that it intends to continue work on extending the number of Temporary Event Notices that licensees can apply for. (gov.uk)
Planning permission
Planning permission may be required for permanent structures, substantial changes to a premises or changes in the use of land.
Examples may include:
- Covered outdoor areas
- Fixed awnings
- Raised platforms
- Permanent bars
- Structures attached to listed buildings
- Changes to shopfronts
- New lighting or signage
- Regular use of a public space for events
Your council’s planning department can confirm whether a formal application is required. It may also explain whether the site’s history or heritage status affects the proposal.
Step 6: Prepare a strong safety and management plan
Outdoor hospitality can improve the customer experience, but it creates additional operational responsibilities.
Your management plan should cover:
- Safe pedestrian movement
- Step-free access where possible
- Clear fire and emergency routes
- Safe positioning of heaters and electrical equipment
- Protection from trip hazards
- Food hygiene
- Alcohol management
- Noise control
- Customer queues
- Deliveries and refuse collection
- Severe weather
- Cleaning and waste
- Staff responsibilities
- Complaint handling
- Security arrangements
- Air quality monitoring where appropriate
For food service operations, include procedures based on good hygiene practice, food incident guidance, Primary Authority support and FSA guidance. Where packaging is used, explain how packaging restrictions and FSA extended producer responsibility requirements will be considered.
Think about how the area will operate at its busiest. A layout that works for a quiet weekday may become unsafe during a Friday evening, public event or major sporting fixture.
Step 7: Show how the zone will benefit the local area
Councils need to balance business activity with the needs of residents, visitors and other road users.
Explain how your proposal could:
- Increase high street footfall
- Support local employment
- Bring empty or underused spaces back into use
- Improve the customer experience
- Encourage longer visits
- Support local suppliers
- Create a safer and more welcoming town centre
- Provide space for community events
- Strengthen the area’s evening economy
- Increase the growth economic contribution of local hospitality
- Support social inclusion and diversity
Include measurable objectives where possible. For example, you could propose tracking visitor numbers, event attendance, customer feedback, employment created and the number of participating businesses. You might also refer to a social productivity index or similar local measure to assess community value, wellbeing and economic activity.
How staffing can support a hospitality zone
A successful outdoor trading area needs more than tables and chairs. It needs enough trained staff to provide fast service, maintain standards and respond to changing demand.
You may need additional:
- Chefs
- Kitchen porters
- Waiting staff
- Bartenders
- Supervisors
- Hosts
- Event staff
- Cleaners
- Stewards
- Security professionals
Outdoor seating often creates unpredictable peaks in demand. A sudden warm evening, local festival or sporting event can increase customer numbers quickly.
DISH Hospitality supports hotels, restaurants, gastro pubs and event catering businesses across Yorkshire and northern England with temporary and permanent staffing solutions. Its live temporary workforce includes more than 50 hospitality professionals deployed each week, helping businesses respond to short-term staffing needs. Explore DISH Hospitality staffing solutions.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming the reform is already fully operational
The Government announced hospitality zones and related licensing reforms on 26 July 2025. The National Licensing Policy Framework was published on 26 November 2025, but the detailed local application process may still depend on council policies and future implementation. (gov.uk)
Always confirm the current position with your council before buying equipment or advertising an event.
Applying as one business when the idea affects a whole street
If the proposal uses shared public space, involve other businesses early. A collaborative plan is usually easier for a council to assess than several conflicting applications.
Ignoring residents
Residents may support a lively town centre but still have concerns about noise, smoking, litter, late-night activity and blocked pavements.
Share clear information about proposed hours, contact details and complaint procedures. Consider appointing one zone manager to deal with issues.
Underestimating staffing needs
Outdoor service can increase sales, but it can also slow service if the kitchen and front-of-house team are too small.
Prepare a staffing plan before approval. Include cover for breaks, sickness, busy periods, cleaning and closing duties. Consider whether additional staff are needed for more business operations during events.
Forgetting the end-of-night routine
Your plan should explain how furniture, glassware, rubbish and equipment will be removed or secured. It should also state when the area will be cleaned and returned to its normal condition.
A practical checklist
Before contacting your council, prepare the following:
- A proposed zone name
- A location map
- A list of participating businesses
- Proposed operating hours
- A description of the activities
- A seating and access plan
- A traffic and delivery plan
- A cleaning and waste plan
- A noise management plan
- A staffing plan
- Public liability insurance details
- Evidence of business and community support
- A named project lead
- A suggested review date
- A sustainability plan, including a carbon calculator and free energy-saving guidance where available
This preparation can make the first council meeting more productive and help identify any missing permissions. A simple more sustainability roadmap can also help businesses plan improvements over time.
What to do next
If you want to create a hospitality zone in your area, do not wait for a national application portal. Begin locally.
Identify the public space, speak to nearby businesses, contact your council and ask which permissions apply. Then develop a joint proposal that covers planning, licensing, safety, accessibility, staffing and community impact.
The reforms create a useful opportunity for hospitality businesses to work with councils and improve their local high streets. Businesses that prepare early and present a well-managed plan will be in a stronger position when new local processes become available. For additional resources, businesses may also wish to review guides on different hospitality sectors explained, sustainability, food service and industry prospectuses.