LIVERPOOL pavement cafes are to be made the subject of a new licensing regime that will see owners pay for every table and chair on the street.
Liverpool council wants to simplify the process of getting a licence and stop those that flout the rules.
Under the new system, cafe and bar owners will no longer have to apply for planning permission and a highways licence.
Instead they will apply for a single three-year licence at a cost of £580.
Businesses will also pay £5 per chair, and £10 per table.
Cafe owners will fill in four sides of A4 instead of a 92-page application.
City council cabinet member for regeneration Malcolm Kennedy said: “Street cafes are now a common feature in Liverpool, animating our streets in a vibrant and lively way.
“We want to do all we can to support them.
“However, our current permission process is not as business-friendly as it could be, which means many street cafes are choosing to bypass it.”
