Casual trading in towns ‘hurts rate-paying businesses’

CORK’S county manager is considering tightening bylaws to regulate casual trading in urban areas amid complaints that rate-paying businesses are suffering.

Martin Riordan said he would prepare a report for councillors after Cllr Gerry Kelly complained that casual traders were setting up “wherever they liked”.

He claimed the Casual Trading Act of 2004 had created a problem as it had abolished the need for traders to have a licence to sell perishable goods, such as fruit and vegetables, on the roadside between May and September.