Mobile snack bars

Advice for Mobile Food Vehicle Operators

This advice sheet is designed to give general advice on selling food from a vehicle within the Lewes District Council area.  Local laws on selling food from a vehicle may vary from council to council.  If you are trading in another council’s area you should contact them for advice.

Registration of Food Businesses

All food businesses must register with their local council.  Registration is free, and involves completing a simple form.  In the case of a mobile food business (e.g. a burger van) you must register your business with the council where you normally store your vehicle overnight.

The council that you register with will do routine hygiene inspections of your vehicle.  You may find that the Environmental Health Officers wherever you are trading will also want to inspect your business, and they are legally allowed to do this.

If you will be normally keeping your vehicle overnight in the Lewes District Council area please complete and return the attached registration form.

Street Trading Consent

In some areas you need a special licence (“street trading consent”) from the council to trade on the highway.  This is not the case in the Lewes District Council area.

Landowners’ Permission

Wherever you trade you will need the permission of the landowner to be on their land. 

In the case of most lay-bys, the landowner will be the County Council.  If you wish to trade in a lay-by in the Lewes District Council area you must first get permission from the highways department of East Sussex County Council. (telephone 01273 813933)

If you are hoping to trade on private land you must find out who owns that land and get their permission.  The landowner should check with the Council Planning Department (telephone 01273 471600) that they are allowed to have a food business on that land.