06/06/2026
Have you seen all the hoo-ha about cake sheds in the news recently?
They’ve suddenly found themselves under the media spotlight because many are now being told they need a Street Trading Consent in order to operate.
And indeed, earlier this year I received a letter informing me that I needed one too.
Fortunately, the cost of a consent here in West Lancashire is fairly reasonable, but fees vary wildly across the country. What’s even more interesting is that the requirement itself varies depending on where you live. Just down the road in Wigan, many cake sheds are unlikely to need a consent at all, whereas here in West Lancashire I was told that I do.
That inconsistency is probably my biggest issue with the whole thing. I have no objection to ‘sensible’ regulation, but it seems odd that whether you need a consent or how much you pay for one can depend entirely on your postcode. Whilst the fee here in West Lancs is manageable, some folk elsewhere report that they’re facing costs running into the thousands of pounds. For a small honesty-box cake shed type setup, that simply isn't realistic and could make the difference between a business surviving or closing altogether.
The legislation hasn’t changed. The law that’s being used has actually been around for decades. What’s changed is how some councils are choosing to interpret and apply it. I’d guess that’s largely a response to the explosion in cake sheds, honesty boxes and other small self-serve businesses that have popped up recently.
Putting the postcode lottery to one side for a moment, my feelings about the requirement itself are actually quite mixed.
On one hand, it seems a little bonkers that I need a street trading consent to sell cakes from my own home. It felt even more bizarre having to complete a DBS check for a business that isn’t staffed. I did question that one quite strongly, but was told it was a mandatory part of the application process.
It’s a bloody honesty box…a small wooden cupboard on my driveway! I’m not standing there taking orders or handling cash.
But on the other hand, obtaining a consent does mean you have to demonstrate that you’re operating properly. You need to be registered as a food business, complete food hygiene training, be subject to food hygiene inspections, hold public liability insurance, and provide details of your operation, including plans and proposed opening hours.
And that’s the part I’m on board with.
I think that if someone’s selling food to the public, there should be some reassurance that they’re doing so safely and responsibly. It helps separate genuine food businesses from people who have simply stuck a shed at the end of the drive and started selling without understanding the responsibilities and regulations that come with it.
For those of us who are already following the rules, registering our businesses, completing training, paying for insurance and maintaining hygiene standards, the extra paperwork is frustrating but not exactly a massive hurdle.
So whilst I still can’t quite get my head around needing a DBS check for an unmanned cupboard full of cake, or why the requirement depends so heavily on where you live, I can understand why councils want some reassurance that the people selling food to the public know what they’re doing.
Perhaps the rise of cake sheds has simply exposed the fact that the rules haven’t quite caught up with modern micro-businesses. The challenge now is finding a balance between protecting the public and encouraging the kind of small, local businesses that bring a bit of character to our communities.
