Councils are clamping down on middle-class mothers selling brownies in their driveways – with some ‘cake shed’ owners instructed to pay up to £1,000 if they wish to keep operating.
Small decorated sheds filled with homemade goods are becoming an increasingly prominent sight across the UK’s suburban streets.
Operating on an honesty box or QR code system, the brightly painted sheds in some instances have attracted queues of locals gathering to purchase a treat.
Yet while the business idea is immensely popular, a growing number of councils are now looking to enforce compulsory licences as a result.
In Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, a group of cake shed owners have been campaigning against the introduction of a council-enforced street trading licence which costs £1,007 to obtain.
The district council, who believe that some sheds can bring in up to £90,000 a year, have insisted that those who fail to obtain this licence could face a £1,000 fine.
And while their enforcement was briefly paused last month, councillors are set to make an imminent decision on the fate of middle-class mothers seeking to sell their homecooked goods.
Natalie Brook, 37, who briefly shut down her beloved cake shed due to the ‘ridiculous’ policies has described the upcoming verdict as a ‘make or break’ moment for similar owners.
British councils are clamping down on middle-class mothers selling brownies in their driveways. Pictured: Sarah Baker, a mother-of-three, who fears she may have to shut her beloved cake shed due to the new restrictions
Operating on an honesty box or QR code system, the brightly painted sheds are a heartwarming way for communities to come together and have become a popular trend across TikTok
While the business idea is immensely popular, a growing number of councils have taken issue with the rise in driveway cake sheds, and are now looking to enforce compulsory licences as a result
‘I find it bizarre I can sell from my front door, but not from my shed, which is less than a metre away from my front door,’ she told the BBC.
‘People can afford a couple of pounds on a cake, and if that is what they’re using for a little treat during a cost-of-living crisis, then that’s amazing, and I want to be a part of that.’
And Natalie is certainly not the only baking enthusiast to have been affected by the nationwide council clampdowns on driveway sales.
Sarah Baker, a mother-of-three, launched her cake shed in Maidstone last September in a bid to make some extra cash. However, she was taken aback when she learnt that she could be fined if she did not apply for a street trading licence.
‘I was gutted really, because I thought I work hard, I’ve got a good little thing and then I could lose that money, that little bit of income,’ she said.
‘I’m devastated to be honest because you work so hard and put your heart into it to try and build this. It’s really gutting that I could lose this if I can’t afford to do it. I feel like they’re trying to take everything away from you.
‘I feel it’s just another way to make money from us. I just think it’s unfair. Nine months of working hard and it could go. I could lose it all.’
Now, Sarah is fighting against the proposals for a trading licence and wants any decision made by the council to be fair to those operating a cake shed on their own property, not a street.
If she does have to obtain a street trading licence, she says it’s unlikely she’ll be able to afford to keep trading, as she tends to make from £60 to £100 a weekend.
Small decorated sheds filled with delightful homemade goods are becoming an increasingly prominent sight across the UK’s suburban streets
Mel Houston, who operated a cake shed (pictured) from her garden in the village of Harrietsham, Kent, has since been forced to close it down after she discovered that the council may require her to obtain a licence
In Bassetlaw, Nottinghamshire, a group of cake shed owners have been campaigning against the introduction of a council-enforced street trading licence which costs an eye-watering £1,007 to obtain. Pictured: a cake shed selling homemade goods
Sarah, who cares for her parents from her home, says the cake shed had provided her with a flexible, additional income that she could balance alongside her caregiving.
‘I just feel it’s unfair for us to pay that [trading licence] when we were never told about it in the first place.,’ she added.
Meanwhile, Mel Houston, who operated a cake shed from her garden in the nearby village of Harrietsham, has since been forced to close it down after she discovered that the council may require her to obtain a licence.
The dementia carer only opened the shed a few months earlier, once a week on a Sunday, as she said her kitchen is her ‘happy place’.
The 51-year-old has a five-star hygiene rating, a level two food safety and hygiene certification and food safety allergen awareness, but learnt that she could face a fine for not having a licence.
‘It was a bit of a kick in the teeth,’ she said. ‘I shut it down straight away. I was deflated more than anything and upset for the residents as it brought the community together.’
A report for Bassetlaw’s licensing committee, prepared by council officers, said: ‘Including cake sheds in the street trading policy ensures consistency, fairness, and public protection.
‘They function in the same way as traditional street trading units, and without regulation, they create an uneven playing field and reduce the ability to manage safety, location, and standards, and can lead to enforcement difficulties later on.’
A Maidstone council spokesman said: ‘Street trading legislation can apply where goods are sold in locations accessible to the public, including in some circumstances from residential premises. However, this is not always straightforward and each case needs to be considered individually.
‘Maidstone council is aware of the concerns being raised by small-scale operators such as ‘cake sheds’. Many of these are low-level, home-based businesses that are already appropriately registered with Environmental Health, and we recognise the positive role they play within local communities.
‘The council’s current Street Trading Policy was not designed with this type of activity in mind, and we accept that it can appear disproportionate when applied in these circumstances.
‘As a result, we are actively reviewing the position to ensure the approach we take is fair, proportionate and supports small local businesses, whilst still meeting our legal obligations.
‘Where enquiries are received at the moment, our focus is on providing advice and clarity, rather than enforcement.
‘Any action would only ever be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature and impact of the activity. For other examples, such as egg sales from residential properties, the same principles apply and it will depend on the specific circumstances, including the scale and nature of the operation.
‘We would encourage anyone who is unsure to contact the council for advice.’
