Burger Van Pitch for Sale UK: How to Find, Secure & Profit from the Best Locations in 2026

A burger van pitch can make or break your mobile catering business. Get a prime spot outside a factory gate or on a busy high street, and you could be turning over £500–£1,500 a week. Get stuck in a dead location with no footfall, and you’ll burn through your savings before you serve your hundredth burger. The difference between success and failure in mobile catering usually isn’t the food — it’s the pitch.

This guide covers everything you need to know about finding, securing, and making money from a burger van pitch in the UK in 2026 — from council street trading licences to private land agreements, realistic income expectations, and the equipment you’ll need to get trading.

What Is a Burger Van Pitch and How Does It Work?

A burger van pitch is simply a designated spot where you’re permitted to park your van and trade. It could be council-owned land (requiring a street trading licence), private land (requiring a landlord agreement), or an event site (requiring an event organiser booking). Each type works differently and has different costs, rules, and earning potential.

The key thing to understand is that you don’t own a pitch — you rent the right to trade from that location. Council pitches are licensed annually or seasonally. Private pitches work on rolling agreements, sometimes weekly. Event pitches are booked per event. Your income depends entirely on the footfall that pitch delivers, so choosing the right one is the single biggest business decision you’ll make.

Types of Burger Van Pitch in the UK

There are four main types of pitch, each with different costs and earning potential:

Council street trading pitches are allocated by your local authority under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. You apply for a street trading licence (or consent, depending on how your council classifies it), and if approved, you’re given a specific location and trading hours. Costs vary wildly — from £500/year in smaller towns to £5,000+ in city centres. The advantage is security: once you have the licence, that spot is yours for the licence period. The disadvantage is competition for the best locations and the bureaucracy involved.

Private land pitches are agreements directly with landowners — factories, industrial estates, retail parks, car dealerships, farm shops. You negotiate rent (typically £50–£200/week) and trading terms directly. These can be gold mines: a factory with 500 workers and no canteen means a captive audience every lunchtime. The risk is that the landowner can end the agreement, often with short notice.

Layby and roadside pitches sit on Highways England land or council-owned laybys. These require specific permissions and are increasingly regulated. Some have been traded for decades on informal agreements, but councils are tightening enforcement. If you’re considering a layby pitch, check with the local authority first — trading without consent can result in fines and confiscation of your van.

Event pitches are bookings at festivals, markets, sporting events, and shows. Costs range from £100 for a local farmers’ market day to £2,000+ for a weekend music festival. The earning potential is high (£1,000–£5,000 per event) but unpredictable — weather, crowd size, and competition from other traders all affect takings.

How Much Does a Burger Van Pitch Cost?

Pitch costs vary enormously depending on type and location. Here’s what to expect in 2026:

Pitch Type	Typical Cost	Payment	Expected Weekly Turnover
Council street trading (small town)	£500–£1,500/year	Annual licence fee	£400–£800
Council street trading (city centre)	£2,000–£5,000/year	Annual licence fee	£800–£2,000
Private land (factory/industrial)	£50–£200/week	Weekly/monthly rent	£500–£1,500
Layby/roadside	£30–£100/week	Varies	£300–£800
Event (local market)	£50–£150/day	Per event	£300–£600/day
Event (major festival)	£500–£2,000/weekend	Per event	£1,000–£5,000/weekend

The golden rule: never pay more than 10–15% of your expected gross turnover in pitch fees. If a pitch costs £200/week, you need to be confident of turning over at least £1,500–£2,000 to make it viable after food costs, LPG, and other overheads.

How to Find a Burger Van Pitch for Sale

The best pitches rarely get advertised — they pass between traders by word of mouth. But here’s where to look:

Your local council website is the starting point for street trading licences. Search for “street trading licence” or “street trading consent” on your council’s site. Some councils publish a list of available pitches; others require you to propose a location and they’ll assess it. Be prepared for a wait — popular councils have waiting lists of 6–12 months.

Direct approaches to landowners are how most private pitches are secured. Drive around industrial estates, business parks, and retail areas during lunchtime. Look for large workforces with limited food options nearby. Walk in, ask to speak to the site manager, and propose a trial. Many traders have built their entire business from a single factory pitch they secured by knocking on a door.

Online marketplaces like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, and specialist sites like CateringPitches.co.uk list pitches for sale or rent. Be cautious with “goodwill” sales — a trader selling their pitch for £5,000–£15,000 is selling the relationship with the landowner and an established customer base, not the land itself. Check the terms of the existing agreement before paying anything.

Catering trade groups on Facebook are invaluable. Groups like “Mobile Caterers UK” and “Street Food Traders” regularly post available pitches. Networking with other traders is also how you hear about pitches coming up before they’re publicly listed.

What Licences and Permits Do You Need?

Before you trade from any pitch, you’ll need:

A street trading licence or consent from your local council if trading on public land. The application typically requires proof of public liability insurance, a food hygiene certificate, a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate, and a completed application form. Costs range from £100 to £500 for the licence itself, on top of any pitch fees.

Food business registration with your local environmental health department. This is free and must be done at least 28 days before you start trading. Register online at your council’s website.

A Gas Safe certificate for your LPG installation. All propane-powered equipment in your van — griddles, fryers, water boilers — must be installed and certified by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This isn’t optional: trading without a valid gas certificate puts your insurance at risk and can result in prosecution. If you’re setting up a new van, budget £150–£300 for the initial inspection. See our guide to LPG hobs for mobile catering for more on gas equipment requirements.

Public liability insurance (minimum £5 million cover) is required by virtually every council and landowner. Expect to pay £150–£400/year depending on your turnover and the activities covered.

Vehicle insurance that covers commercial use. Your standard motor insurance won’t cover a vehicle used for trading. You need a policy that specifically covers mobile catering.

Essential Equipment for a Burger Van

Your equipment setup directly affects how much you can earn from any pitch. Slow service means lost customers, especially on factory pitches where workers only get a 30-minute break. Here’s what a typical burger van needs:

A commercial LPG griddle is your workhorse. For a busy pitch, you need at least a double-burner flat griddle — something like the Parry AG2HP or AG4HP. A single burner won’t keep up during a lunch rush. All mobile catering griddles run on propane at 37 mbar — never butane, which fails to vaporise below 2°C and is unsuitable for outdoor UK trading.

A commercial LPG fryer for chips and onion rings. A countertop LPG fryer like the Infernus 12L is compact enough for a van while giving you the capacity for a steady stream of portions. If you’re doing high volumes, consider a twin-tank model.

A hot water boiler for tea, coffee, and cleaning. The Fracino Atlantis Mini Gas is the only LPG water boiler available in the UK — Buffalo, Burco, and Parry only make electric models. Hot drinks are a high-margin add-on that can add £50–£100/day to your takings.

A generator if your pitch doesn’t have mains power. Most pitches don’t. A 3–5kW inverter generator handles lighting, a fridge, card reader, and a small appliance or two. Larger setups may need 6–8kW.

Refrigeration — you need to keep raw meat below 8°C at all times. A commercial catering fridge or a 12V compressor coolbox rated for commercial use are your options.

How Much Can You Earn from a Burger Van Pitch?

Realistic earnings depend on your pitch, your menu, and how efficiently you run your operation. Here’s a worked example for a private factory pitch:

Scenario: Factory with 300 workers, 5-day lunchtime trading (11am–2pm), average transaction £5.50.

If you serve 60 customers per day (20% of the workforce), that’s £330/day or £1,650/week gross. Food costs at 30% = £495. Pitch rent £100/week. LPG £30/week. Generator fuel £20/week. Sundries £25/week. That leaves roughly £980/week net before tax — over £50,000/year from a single lunchtime pitch.

The reality is that most traders don’t hit these numbers from day one. It takes 2–4 weeks for a new pitch to build a regular customer base. And not every factory has 300 workers. But the maths shows why experienced traders guard their best pitches fiercely and why “goodwill” payments for established pitches can be £10,000+.

Tips for Making Your Pitch Work

Consistency is everything. Turn up at the same time, every day, without fail. If workers come out at 12:15 and you’re not there, they’ll go elsewhere. After a few no-shows, they stop checking.

Speed of service matters more than a massive menu. On a factory pitch, you’ve got a 30-minute window to serve as many people as possible. A tight menu of 6–8 items you can produce fast will outsell a 20-item menu that takes 5 minutes per order. Burgers, bacon rolls, sausage baps, chips, and hot drinks cover 90% of what people want.

Accept card payments. In 2026, if you’re cash-only, you’re losing 30–40% of potential sales. A SumUp or Zettle reader costs under £30 and pays for itself on day one.

Keep it clean. Environmental health officers can visit any pitch unannounced. A dirty van or poor food handling can result in a closure notice — and word spreads fast. Follow your food hygiene checklist every single day.

Build relationships. On a private pitch, the site manager is your best friend. On a council pitch, the licensing officer is. Be professional, be reliable, and be the trader who never causes problems. When better pitches come up, you want to be the name they think of first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a burger van pitch cost in the UK?
Council street trading pitches typically cost £500–£5,000 per year depending on location. Private land pitches (factories, industrial estates) usually cost £50–£200 per week. Event pitches range from £50–£150 per day for local markets up to £2,000 for major festivals. The total cost depends on your location, the type of agreement, and the footfall the pitch delivers.

Do I need a licence to sell burgers from a van?
Yes. If you’re trading on public land, you need a street trading licence or consent from your local council. You also need to register your food business with environmental health (free, but mandatory 28 days before trading), hold a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate, have public liability insurance (minimum £5 million), and get a Gas Safe certificate for any LPG equipment in your van.

How do I find burger van pitches for sale near me?
Start with your local council’s street trading page for public pitches. For private pitches, drive around industrial estates and business parks during lunchtime and approach site managers directly. Online, check Facebook groups like “Mobile Caterers UK” and “Street Food Traders”, Gumtree, and specialist sites. The best pitches rarely get advertised publicly — networking with other traders is how you hear about them first.

How much money can you make with a burger van?
A well-located burger van on a busy private pitch can realistically turn over £1,000–£1,500 per week, with net profit of £600–£1,000 after food costs, pitch rent, and LPG. Event trading can be higher (£1,000–£5,000 per weekend) but is less predictable. Most traders build up to full-time income over 3–6 months as they build a regular customer base.

What equipment do I need for a burger van?
At minimum, you need a commercial LPG griddle, a countertop LPG fryer, an LPG water boiler for hot drinks, a generator (3–5kW for most setups), a commercial fridge or coolbox, a handwash station, and fire safety equipment. All LPG equipment must run on propane at 37 mbar and be Gas Safe certified. Budget £3,000–£8,000 for a full equipment setup, or browse our mobile catering equipment range for individual items.

Can I sell food from a van on private land without a licence?
You don’t need a street trading licence to trade on private land with the landowner’s permission. However, you still need all other documentation: food business registration, food hygiene certificate, public liability insurance, Gas Safe certificate, and appropriate vehicle insurance. Some councils have additional bylaws, so always check with your local authority to be safe.

What is the best location for a burger van?
The best locations combine high footfall with limited food competition. Factory gates, industrial estates, business parks, and trading estates with large workforces are consistently the most profitable for regular weekday trading. For weekends and evenings, look at retail parks, leisure centres, and near pub/club areas. Coastal towns and tourist spots are excellent seasonally. The ideal pitch has easy vehicle access, space to park safely, and visibility from the road.