Guide · Permissions

Permits and permissions for street promotions in the UK.

Almost every promotion in a public place needs someone's permission first. Here is who gives it for streets, stations, shopping centres and events, what to check for leaflets, food, selling and alcohol, and how far ahead to ask.

About this guide: this is general information about how permissions work in the UK. It is not legal advice. Rules differ between councils and landowners and change over time, so always check the requirements for each location with the council, landowner or organiser before you book.

8 min read8 steps6 checks

List every location in the campaign and who controls it before you plan anything else. Permission is often the slowest part of the timeline.The one thing to remember

Start here

Who has to say yes first.

From who controls the ground to the paperwork on the day. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Roaming sampling team in a shopping street with branded sampling bins

01Step 1 of 8

Emmi Caffè Latte sampling team with branded bins outside Manchester Piccadilly station

Start with who controls the ground

The first question isn't "do we need a permit?" but "who controls this spot?".

Council
Town centre manager
Business improvement district
Landowner
Site operator
Event organiser

Key pointList every location in the campaign and who controls it before you plan anything else. Permission is often the slowest part of the timeline.

02Step 2 of 8

Promotional staff member with a sign for the Pho pop-up on a city street

Stands and pitches on public streets

Anything placed on the pavement, such as a stand, table, gazebo, banner or vehicle, needs the agreement of the highway authority, which is in most places the council.

Activity description
Site plan
Risk assessment
Public liability insurance

03Step 3 of 8

Admiral leafleting staff member handing a leaflet to a passer-by on the high street

Handing out leaflets and flyers

Many councils control leafleting in busy town and city centres, and some areas need their consent before anything printed is handed out.

Council consent
Conditions
Owner's agreement on private land

04Step 4 of 8

Emmi Caffè Latte sampling staff with trays of drinks at the Birmingham Half Marathon

Sampling, food and selling

Handing out food or drink samples on the street needs the council's agreement in most places, even where a pitch scheme doesn't mention it specifically.

Food hygiene
Allergen information
Environmental health
Street trading rules

05Step 5 of 8

Russian Vodka promotional team in matching white T-shirts in Edinburgh

Alcohol, sound and signage

Alcohol, amplified sound and signs each bring their own checks.

Licensing team
Local alcohol restrictions
Loudspeakers
Signs and banners
No chalk or paint

06Step 6 of 8

Emmi Caffè Latte sampling staff member with a branded bin on the Liverpool Lime Street station concourse

Stations, shopping centres and other private land

On private land the owner decides, and most large sites have a team that books promotional space.

Stations
Shopping centres
Retail parks
Supermarkets
Campuses
Office buildings
Events

07Step 7 of 8

Flower & White promotional staff member at a sampling stand in an Edinburgh shopping centre

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Rules differ across the UK.

08Step 8 of 8

Lucozade Sport event staff on the treadmill stage at a public event in Brighton

Timing, paperwork and the day itself

Ask early.

Activity description
Site plan or photo
Dates and hours
Number of staff
Risk assessment
Insurance certificate

Checklist

Before the first day.

Ready to go out.

At a glance

Who to ask, by activity.

Each kind of activity, who gives permission and what to plan for. Tap a row to read its step.

Activity	Who to ask	What to plan for
Stand or tasting on a street	Council, town centre manager or BID	Pitch booking, insurance, risk assessment
Roaming team	Council	Local rules vary by town
Handing out leaflets	Council	Consent in designated areas
Food samples	Council and environmental health	Food hygiene, allergens
Selling on the street	Council	The council's street trading rules
Alcohol tasting	Council licensing team, venue	Licence, local restrictions, age checks
Station, centre, campus	Owner or operator	Their booking process and approvals
Festival or show	Organiser	Exhibitor pack deadlines

Common questions

Permissions, answered.

Do I need a permit to promote on the street?

In most places, yes. Most councils control promotional set-ups on public land, often through bookable pitches, and some also need consent for roaming teams or leaflets. Private land, including stations and shopping centres, always needs the owner's agreement.

Who do I contact for permission in a town centre?

Start with the council's events, licensing or town centre team. In some towns, a town centre manager or business improvement district runs the promotional pitches instead.

Do I need permission for product sampling?

Almost always: the council for public land, the owner for private sites and the organiser at events. Food samples also bring food hygiene and allergen requirements.

Can we hand out leaflets anywhere?

No. Some council areas need consent before leaflets are handed out, and on private land the owner decides. Check with the council for each location.

How far ahead should we apply?

As early as you can. Councils work to their own timescales; private sites and events set their own deadlines.

Is this guide legal advice?

No. It explains how permissions work in general. Rules vary by council and landowner and change over time, so check the requirements for each location before you book.

Wasabi sampling van and staff on Briggate, Leeds

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Planning activity in public places?

Street teams briefed on the rules.

EXECUTIONAL supplies roaming teams, sampling teams and leaflet distributors for street marketing campaigns across the UK, each briefed on the conditions of the site's permission.

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