Street trading expanded in bid to boost footfall
BBCStreet traders will be allowed into more areas of a city from next month in a move aimed at boosting footfall.
Sunderland City Council approved the changes for parts of the city centre, including Blandford Street and Maritime Terrace, on Monday.
Trading will also be allowed in areas in nearby Houghton and the streets surrounding what was Roker Park Football Ground.
Councillors were told there had been no objections to the proposals during an initial round of consultation.
The changes are expected to come into force on 1 May.
The Labour-led council said the proposals were also aimed at providing greater control over street trading and to "ensure that members of the public are safe".
Potential street traders will still need to apply to the council for consent.
The local authority 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".
Blandford Street and Maritime Terrace originally did not allow street trading because secure deliveries were made to a nearby bank, which is no longer there, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Council licensing officers previously said redesignating the streets would "enable effective regulation of street trading" and would support events to help boost footfall and economic growth.
