How to measure for your pavement licence plan
About 10 minutes outside your premises. Measure in metres, to the nearest centimetre if you can. If a measurement is hard to take, skip it and send a photo instead.
You need: a tape measure (5 m or longer) · your phone camera · a quiet moment when the pavement is clear
What to measure, seen from above
The measurements
- Width of your shopfrontFrom one side wall to the other, along the front of the building.
- Pavement depthFrom your front wall straight out to the edge of the kerb. Measure it at both ends of your shopfront, because pavements often narrow.
- Door widthThe clear opening of each door. This part stays free of furniture.
- Where the door isFrom the left-hand side wall to the edge of the door, as you face the shop.
- How far out you want to goHow deep the seating or display area should be, measured from your wall. If you're not sure, leave it and we'll work out the most you can have.
- Anything fixed nearbyBins, bollards, lamp posts, signs, trees, drains, steps. Measure from your wall to each one and note roughly where it is along the front.
Also tell us: how many tables and chairs (or display stands) you want, their rough sizes, whether you want barriers, planters or umbrellas, and the days and hours you want to use the area.
The photos
- Your whole shopfront, taken from across the road.
- Looking along the pavement to the left, from your door.
- Looking along the pavement to the right, from your door.
- The tape measure laid across the pavement for measurement B, with the numbers visible.
- Any bin, post or sign close to where the tables will go.
Renewing an existing licence? Send your old plan or licence if you have it. We'll update it rather than start from scratch.
Send it to us
Email the measurements and photos to hello@licenceplans.co.uk, or start with the short form and we'll reply with a fixed quote.
Start with the form