14. May 2026
Is this the end of the cake cupboard?
On Friday 8th May, after filling my little cupboard with the days cakes and brownies, a Council Enforcement Officer paid me an unannounced visit. He handed me a notice telling me I was an 'Unauthorised Street Trader', and must cease trading today. If I wish to continue with the cake cupboard, I now require a Street Trading Licence. What he didn't tell me was the cost of the licence...£1007 per year. If that doesn't cost enough, you need to attain a list of other requirements before you're allowed to apply for the licence, these are:
- Proof of address
- Basic Criminal Background Check (issued within 3 months)
- 1:1250 scale site plan
- £5 million Public Liability Insurance
- Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate (if applicable)
- Commercial Waste carrier agreement
- Electrical/Gas safety certificates
- Right to work evidence
- Landowner consent
- Evidence of planning approval or exemption
- Photographs (internal and external)
- A4 yellow site notice
When I set up the cupboard, I complied with all the regulations in place and undertook Food Safety and allergen training. I have business insurance, public liability insurance and was inspected by the Environmental Health Officer and awarded 5 Stars. My main aims have been to share my love of baking with the community, and whilst doing so, to keep the public safe. The cupboard is maintained and cleaned every day. All my baking is well packaged and labelled to ensure good hygiene and food safety.
As most people can imagine, nobody is making millions running an honesty based cake cupboard. It's much more about creating community, and providing a selection of bakes you don't generally get in the shops, especially now Greggs and supermarkets have taken over most of the options and the smaller local bakeries have all but disappeared.
As alot of you will know, I work full time, and the cupboard's only open once a week. I'm not open 52 weeks of the year either. In all likelihood I'll be open roughly 40 days a year. The licence alone would average out at about £25 per week, so would add a considerable cost onto each bake. Not only is the licence daylight robbery in my opinion, but the list of criteria that goes with it will also cost in the region of £1500 to fulfil.
Now that the adrenalin has worn off I feel shell shocked. I know it's only cake, but I've built this business up from nothing and I feel pretty devastated. Ben & I are away on holiday next week, so we'll take some time to assess the situation and see if there's any way around the requirements. Otherwise this could be goodbye for good.
