Minister writes to Local Authorities about assisting hospitality businesses

The Secretary of State for House and Local Communities, Robert Jenrick, has written to local authorities reminding them of the relaxation of planning rules that have been made to assist outdoor hospitality, and asking them to support hospitality businesses to reopen safely. These measures include:

• An automatic right for restaurants and drinking establishments such as pubs and cafes to serve takeaway food
• Introducing a simplified route for pavement licensing, allowing pubs, restaurants and cafes to obtain a temporary pavement licence to place furniture including outdoor tables and seating on footpaths
• Increasing the number of days allowed for such temporary events from 28 to 56 and extending this provision until 31 December 2021
• Introducing a temporary right that allows local authorities, either by themselves or by others on their behalf, to use land to hold a market without having to apply for planning permission.

You can read the Minister’s letter here.