High Road Food Stall Faces Battle to Keep Licence

Fresh objections made to Healthy Bite's renewal

Healthy Bite is positioned near 253 Chiswick High Road

June 10, 2026

A popular Chiswick High Road food stall is back before councillors this month as Healthy Bite seeks a further six-month temporary street trading licence for its pitch opposite 253 Chiswick High Road near the Catholic Church. The application, to be decided by Hounslow’s Licensing Panel on 23 June, would allow the stall to continue serving falafel wraps, chicken and halloumi wraps, salads, soups and fresh juices daily between 10am and 4pm.

The stall has traded in the same location since December 2019 and has been routinely renewed, most recently for the period running from January to July 2026. The pitch measures 2m by 3m and sits in front of the street tree on the public highway, where standard conditions require at least 1.8m of unobstructed pavement to remain for pedestrians. The report notes that each application must undergo full public consultation, even where a licence is already in place.

This year’s renewal has drawn a number of representations including one from the council’s Planning Department which contends that the stall needs planning permission to operate from the location. There was no formal objection from the planning department when the licence was renewed last year.

Local ward councillor Joanna Biddolph is also opposing the renewal arguing that the stall enjoys an unfair advantage . She is backing two objections from nearby businesses which focus on commercial fairness, pavement obstruction and safety. One business owner argues that allowing a weekday food stall to operate during peak lunchtime hours creates “an uneven and inequitable trading environment” for rate-paying premises. Another raises concerns about pedestrian congestion, queueing, waste, and the use of LPG cooking equipment in a busy area. One objection also calls for the stall’s hours to be restricted to weekends, in line with other market-style operations, arguing that weekday trading places additional pressure on nearby businesses.

The council report emphasises that each application must be considered on its own merits and that standard conditions can be amended where appropriate, provided public safety and wellbeing are not compromised. The panel may grant the licence in full, grant it with additional conditions, or refuse it outright. There is no right of appeal for temporary street trading decisions.

While this year’s consultation has produced objections, previous renewals have attracted strong public support. Last year more than 30 customers wrote in favour of the stall, praising its food, affordability and contribution to the character of the High Road. 

The Licensing Panel will make its decision on 23 June. If granted, the new licence would run for six months from July.