BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – 16 OCTOBER 2003

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

STREET TRADING IN THE HIGH STREET

1.Matter for Consideration

1.1To consider a request from the Town Centre Manager to allow street trading in the High Street.

2.Recommendations

2.1It is recommended that Members give approval to the advertising of an Order re-designating the High Street (Falkland Square to Old Orchard) to allow street trading to take place, subject to consideration of any objections.

3.Background

3.1Street trading on the highway is licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Within this legislation the Authority can designate prohibited streets, where it is considered that trading on street is either not appropriate or would be to the detriment of existing local businesses.

3.2In recent years at the request of the Town Centre Manager, prohibited streets have been re-designated as consent streets at the following locations.

  • Footway in front of Old Orchard House, 39-61 High Street (August 2000)
  • Falkland Square
    (October 2003)
  • The primary purpose of these re-designations was to allow a weekly Farmers Market to operate. The original site at Old Orchard ultimately proved an unsuitable location but it is anticipated that the recent location at Falkland Square will be more successful.
  • In addition to the Farmers Market, it is proposed that a weekly general market operate within the Town. Of the various options available for locating this market, the pedestrianised section of the High Street between North Street/Lagland Street and Old Orchard/New Orchard is thought to be the most suitable. This was considered at Local Economy Overview Group on 4 September 2003. Currently traders are also being consulted over these proposals.
  • It is intended that the market will operate from Easter 2004, initially on a trial basis for 6 months until a more formalised arrangement can be put together. It is likely that if the market is successful this will provide a considerable source of income for the Town Centre Management Board.
  • In redesignating this section of the High Street for the trading, it would make sense to include the remaining section of the High Street (from North Street/Lagland Street to Falkland Square) as well, even though it is not specifically required for the market. To exclude this small length from trading opportunity would seem illogical to both the public and traders.
  • As with previous redesignations, it is proposed that all trading applications be managed by the Town Centre Manager to ensure only activities of an appropriate nature and quality are permitted.
  • In addition to these areas of highway, Town Square being privately owned by the Borough of Poole is also available for trading, again under the management of the Town Centre Manager.
JIM BRIGHT

Head of Transportation Services

APPENDIX A – Proposed Area for Re-designation

Background Papers

None

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

Steve Tite(01202) 262020

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