Temporary street trading during Fleadh

Temporary street trading licensing

We have opportunities for traders to apply for a temporary street trading licence during the Fleadh.  

This licensing opportunity is for non-alcohol trading only. 

The approved temporary locations are in: 

• Bridge Street 
• High Street, and 
• Royal Avenue. 

Applications for a temporary licence will open on Monday 20 April and close on Friday 29 May 2026. You will be able to apply online or you can email [email protected] for an application form. 

Guidance on your application

Before applying, it’s important that you read all our guidance on:

• how we are going to assess applications using our assessment criteria,
• application fees,
• suitable commodities and
• documents needed.

You may find it useful to discuss your proposals with us before making your application. To arrange this or for any advice, you can email [email protected] or call 028 9027 0650.

Important things to note

• You must be 16 years of age or older to hold a street trading licence. 
• We will only accept one application per person. 
• We will not accept applications for proposals to sell alcohol under this scheme. 
• We are only asking for one application, even if you want to trade on all eight days of the Fleadh (normally it is restricted to seven consecutive days per application). 
• You will need to select your preferred street. We can’t guarantee that you will be offered your preferred street, but we will contact you to discuss alternatives if your application is successful. 

We will assess all applications after 29 May 2026. We will contact you to inform you if your application is progressing to the next stage, or you have been unsuccessful. 

If your application is progressing, we will discuss it with you and ask you for any additional information, including documents needed.

Apply for a temporary street trading licence 

Applications are open from Monday 20 April to Friday 29 May 2026. 

From 20 April, you can: 

• apply online 
• email [email protected] or  
• call 028 9027 0650 to ask for an application form.

How we are going to assess applications using our assessment criteria

Firstly, we will assess applications on these criteria; 

• How suitable the proposed commodities are.  
• The potential environmental effects, for example additional litter, cleansing requirements, odour and noise.  

Secondly, if we receive more acceptable applications than licences available, we will assess against these additional criteria: 

• Differentiation in terms of merits of each application in the context of: 
  • the street and event 
  • the quality of the offerings  
  • the design of the stall 
  • the detail of the commodities, and  
  • whether it will provide a useful service and add to the area and event, and  
  • how the business will be operated (based on existing competing application policy for stationary licences). 
• Eight-day applications are preferred over shorter periods.
• Applications from existing Belfast City Council stationary or mobile street trading licensees.
• Applications from individuals representing a business located within the road closure area or in Belfast.
• The shortest geographical distance from Belfast City Hall to the home address of the applicant or business location for an individual applying on behalf of a business.
• Date and time of receipt of application.

Consultations

It is normal to consult with statutory consultees on street trading applications and with other organisations as needed. For applications during the Fleadh, we will be consulting with the Fleadh Events Team to make sure there is no conflict with the Fleadh’s proposals and event management plan. 

Objections from a consultee are likely to result in an application being refused.  

Application fees

The application fee is £180.  

If we grant you a licence, you will also need to pay the relevant licence fee for the days that you will trade.  

For example, if you are granted a licence for all eight days (Sunday to Sunday) you will pay £570. This must be paid before we issue you the street trading licence. 

If your application is unsuccessful, we will refund your application fee minus a £50 administration fee.

Suitable commodities (goods and services)

As part of the assessment and allocation of sites, we will consider: 

• the suitability of commodities 
• the goods and services already being provided by existing businesses and any street traders near-by 
• how proposals will provide a useful service  
• how they benefit the Fleadh event in the area. 

Commodities considered suitable include: 

• arts and crafts goods 
• artisan products  
• high quality souvenirs  
• food and soft drink offerings - there are a limited number of street trading licences for fast food type offerings.  

Alcohol is not a suitable commodity. 

Documents needed

We will assess all applications after 29 May 2026. We will contact you to inform you if your application is progressing to the next stage, or if you have been unsuccessful. 

If your application is progressing, we will discuss it with you and ask you for any required documentation.  

This includes: 

• a current Access NI basic disclosure certificate (non-Northern Ireland residents can get details of how to get a similar certificate by emailing [email protected])
• a colour full face passport sized photograph of applicant
• copies of gas, electrical or fire extinguisher test certificates, if relevant
• a public liability insurance (PLI) declaration completed by you and your insurer or a copy of your insurance policy. You need to have £5 million public liability insurance (PLI). 

Temporary street trading outside this scheme during the Fleadh

We will only grant temporary street trading licences outside this scheme if there are no conflicts with the Fleadh’s proposals and there are no health and safety concerns due to crowds.

Businesses within the Fleadh road closure pedestrianised area

If you are an existing business inside the Fleadh road closure pedestrianised area, you can apply for a temporary street trading licence near your business premises. You can do this through our normal process on our street trading licence page.  You only need one application and fee to cover the eight days of the Fleadh. 

Owners with premises with a pavement café licence who want to apply for a temporary street trading licence within their pavement café area, or a business that wants to set up a sales point directly outside their business premises, should also apply in the normal way.  

Shops within the pedestrianised area can display goods outside their premises without a street trading licence, as long as customers go into the premises to buy the goods.  Any display of goods from these shops outside their premises should not cause an obstruction to pedestrians. 

Street trading outside the Fleadh road closure pedestrianised area

Applications for temporary street trading outside the road closure pedestrianised area can be made as normal. You only need one application and fee to cover the eight days of the Fleadh.

We would encourage you to apply for a temporary street trading licence as soon as possible and by Friday 19 June 2026, at the latest.  

Further information

At any point of the application process, you can contact us for advice by emailing [email protected] or calling 028 9027 0650.