Illegal street traders face council crackdown in city

York Council’s cabinet member for crime and community safety, Coun Sandy Fraser, will be asked to approve an amended enforcement policy which aims to tackle the pedlars.

The move will see tougher rules imposed on rogue traders, including the sellers of ‘gag mags’ claiming to be student charity collectors - a key problem for the authority’s Trading Standards and licensing officers.

Coun Fraser, said: “Illegal street trading undermines legitimate business activities in York and gives the perpetrator an unfair commercial advantage and damages the reputation out city. So, I will be discussing how to take these steps to change the enforcement policy and help tackle rogue street traders.

“The majority of the complaints the council receives are about sellers of ‘gag mags’ claiming to be students collecting for charity when clearly they are not.”

Coun Fraser will be asked for approve the ‘Review of Street Trading Enforcement Controls’ at a decision session tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the council has launched an appeal in the hope residents will shop the illegal street sellers.

Coun Fraser said: “We would like to hear from anyone who believes illegal street trading activities are taking place, or anyone who has been approached in the street to buy goods, particularly if claims are made about where the money is going.”

Street trading is defined as the selling or offering for sale of any article in the street.

This includes food, such as burgers, kebabs and doughnuts, or other things such as household items or novelty items.

Traders need to apply to York Council for consent before they can sell items on the city’s historic streets.

It currently costs £2,260 a year to sell wares within the city walls, or £188 a month. However, it costs just £684 a year to trade outside the walls. Ice cream sellers can expect to pay more at £1,517, while those offering other food items have to pay and annual fee of £1,421.

York Council’s Trading Standards can be contacted via Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 and the licensing section can be reached on 01904 552512.