STREET trading in Barnard Castle may become possible on special occasions despite the town being one of only a few places in the county where a ban is in place.
Town councillors were told during a services committee meeting last week that county officers might look at changing the rules to allow street trading to take place during events like the town’s 1940s weekend and the Meet.
Town clerk Michael King said: “Barnard Castle is one of only two communities in the whole of the county that has an outright prohibition on street trading on a number of named streets. In enforcement terms they [county bosses] are offering the thought that we could move to a ‘by consent’ arrangement so that, in general terms, there was no street trading but there was a licence for street traders. He said an example of where it might be allowed is on the area between Scar Top and the Methodist church during special events. Mr King added: “They would be happy to look at any request from the town council to review any situation.
“They are not saying for it to be a free-for-all, but they are saying that under the right circumstances, say the 1940s weekend, say the Meet [street trading could take place].”
The services committee agreed that Mr King should continue to talk to county officers to get a better understanding of how a “be consent” agreement would work.
