Footfall boost hopes for street trading decision
BBCProposals to allow street trading in more areas could bring in more footfall and increase the time people spend shopping, a city council said.
On Monday, Sunderland councillors will consider allowing traders in city centre areas, including Blandford Street and Maritime Terrace.
They are currently designated as "prohibited streets" because secure deliveries were made to a nearby bank, but this has now shut.
The Labour-led council will also consider areas in Houghton and the streets surrounding what was Roker Park Football Ground, which has since been redeveloped.
The council designates streets as either prohibited streets, in which street trading is not allowed, licence streets, in which a licence to trade is required, and consent streets, where "prior consent requirements operate".
The proposed changes aim to bring designations up to date, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
They will be discussed by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 13 April.
Burger vans
The council said shopping and leisure patterns had changed.
"We want to maximise benefits for residents, visitors and businesses with the successful use of more city streets for trading opportunities," it said.
Meanwhile, a number of "undesignated" streets in Houghton-le-Spring, including Newbottle Street, Station Road, Grey Street, were also listed as part of a drive to "regulate street trading effectively within all relevant parts of the city".
A committee report said undesignated streets fell "outside the scope of regulation, which can result in the council being unable to respond to complaints associated with trading in areas where no provisions exist".
It was noted that "to include all streets in the city would have the unintended consequence of bringing mobile traders, ice cream vans and burger vans".
It added: "In these cases, highways and nuisance legislation can be applied."
If approved, there will be another notice period, with the changes expected to come in on 1 May.
