Market traders' fees set to soar under proposals

Market traders in parts of central London could see their weekend pitch fees rise by 90%, under new proposals brought by Westminster City Council.

Vendors serving hot food in Soho, Westminster, Marylebone and Maida Vale on Saturdays are likely to be the worst hit, while the cost of a permanent trading licence could jump to £964 in the borough.

The council, which is facing a massive budget shortfall, told a licensing committee it was currently running a deficit of around £2.4m across its street trading budget.

In a statement, the local authority said the measures would ensure a "fairer, more sustainable system". If approved they will come into effect in January.

The local authority is analysing responses to a consultation which finished at the end of September.

Currently, vendors in Westminster pay a daily pitch fee of £22 to the council - with a 5% discount if paid by direct debit.

Under the new proposals, charges would be different depending on the day of the week, the location and the type of produce being sold, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Hot food and takeaway traders in Berwick Street and Strutton Ground could see their daily charge almost double to between £39 to £44.

Non-food traders would pay the lowest amount in their area, followed by fresh food, hot food and takeaways.

Currently a new licence to sell non-food items costs £96, with a 50% discount for new businesses and 20% for Westminster residents. Under the proposals this would increase to £964.

One market trader told the committee the council was asking for "an enormous amount of money."

"There is a state of emergency virtually in this country with the economy. All of our produce has gone up," she said.

"Yes, there needs to be an increase. You have to make a living, money for the council and we have to make money, but frankly it is too much."

The council said the majority of traders operating in Westminster already held permanent licences, so would not be hit by the increase in application fees.

In July the council estimated it faced a £160m budget gap by 2029, due to changes in government funding, rising costs, demand for services and inflation.

The government has previously said the "outdated" local authority funding model was being reformed to ensure "money goes where it is most needed".

Earlier this month, the council announced more than 500 staff will be made redundant as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures.

In a statement the council said it had to be "realistic" about the cost of running its markets.

Councillor San Abishev said: "Even after these changes, they will still operate at a deficit of around £1.6m a year, which the council and the taxpayers will continue to fund."

He added the 5% direct debit discount would remain in place for traders alongside fee waivers and reductions.

"With these measures, we want to create a fairer, more sustainable system and ensure Westminster's markets can thrive for many years to come."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk