South Bank BID and South Bank Employers’ Group (SBEG) have been working with key partners as part of a concerted crackdown on unlicensed street trading on Westminster Bridge, which has resulted in a number of repeat offenders being handed heavy fines.
Umer - our Security Manager - has worked closely with the police and Lambeth Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Enforcement Officers and Community Safety Patrol Team to provide evidence and support on cases that were being built against two offenders, both of whom have previously been given repeat warnings not to trade on the bridge.
As a result of this collaborative work, at the end of January prosecutions were successfully brought against both people.
At Croydon Magistrates Court, one offender was convicted of 18 offences under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 and fined £11,388. An order was also granted that ensures their peanut trolley will be seized if they are caught trading again.
A second offender was handed fines totalling £1,326 for two offences, plus the forfeiture and destruction of seized items.
Information shared from local partners and Umer’s coordination was key to achieving this success. Working together, the BID and SBEG remain dedicated to working with local enforcement and police teams to deliver results for the community, including businesses, visitors and residents, who are all impacted by unlicensed trading.
