Partial u-turn on street trading ban (From Croydon Guardian)

Partial u-turn on Sutton High Street street trading ban

7:50am Tuesday 19th June 2012 in News By Matt Watts

Flowerscents has been given special dispensation within the boundaries of the no-street-trading area, because it trades on Network Rail land

Sutton Council have made a partial U-turn on a controversial policy to ban street trading in Sutton town centre.

A street trading policy brought in by Sutton Council at the end of last year prohibits people placing goods outside their shops.

The policy was intended to make pavements less cluttered to improve disabled access and help people with pushchairs.

But it proved unpopular with some traders who argued it would damage their trade.

Among those to be told they could not put produce outside included florists.

Now Sutton Council has agreed to reduce the size of the area where street trading was banned.

It has been reduced at the southern end of Sutton High Street, stopping at the train station and excluding Mulgrave Road.

A similar reduction has been made at the northern end stopping at the High Street junction with Vale Road.

Only Flowerscents florists outside Sutton station has been given special dispensation within the boundaries of the no-street-trading area, because it trades on Network Rail land.

Councillor Janet Lowne, vice chairman of Sutton Council's licensing committee, said: "It’s really important that we strike a balance between keeping our streets safe and clear for disabled people and those with pushchairs and helping local businesses to attract trade.

"We’ve been speaking to shop keepers in the town centre, and their feedback has led us to review the area defined as Sutton town centre, where outside trading can clutter up busy streets.

"We don’t have a blanket policy regarding street trading, and every application outside the town centre is considered on its merits."