Community Interest Company, We R Blighty (WRB), and its directors have pleaded guilty to multiple offences of collecting money and street trading in the City of London without the required licences.

At a hearing at City of London Magistrates’ Court on 4 June, directors Ben Mills and Danielle Vidler admitted to 14 offences each - eight under the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 (unlicensed street collections) and six under the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1987 (unlicensed street trading).

Despite repeated written and in-person warnings and advice from the City of London Corporation’s Licensing Team, WRB continued to operate illegally across the Square Mile - soliciting donations and unlawful street trading between August 2024 and February 2025.

The court heard that WRB splits its takings 50/50 between the operators and veterans’ support. The company and its directors were fined a total of £1,792 and ordered to pay £1,700 in costs to the City Corporation.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Licensing Committee, John Fletcher, said:

“This prosecution sends a clear message: illegal street trading and unauthorised fundraising will not be tolerated in the City.

“The persistent unlawful nature of We R Blighty’s money collection and sale of articles for private gain without the pre-requisite authorisations is totally unacceptable.

“Our enforcement protects the integrity of charitable fundraising and the public, as well as organisations that comply with the law.

“I thank our Licensing Team and our specialist legal team at Guildhall, and the City of London Police, for their advice, guidance, and fair and professional handling of this matter.”

The City of London Corporation regulates licensing in the Square Mile under the Licensing Act 2003 to promote public safety, prevent crime and disorder, and support a thriving, law-abiding hospitality and trading environment.

ENDS

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK –  www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About Community Interest Companies (CICs) vs charities

• We R Blighty (WRB) is a registered Community Interest Company (CIC). Unlike charities, CIC’s are limited companies that have some community benefit, they can engage in commercial activities, generate profits, and can distribute profits to it members. CIC’s are regulated by the CIC. regulator – a ‘light touch’ government regulator (source: Community Interest Companies Guidance - GOV.UK)
• Conversely, charities cannot engage in commercial activities, neither can they distribute profits amongst its members. They are regulated by the government’s Charity Commission and must comply with much stricter and rigorous reporting and accounting standards (source: What is a CIC and can they fundraise? | Fundraising Regulator and Managing charity finances - GOV.UK)

About the law on street collections:

·       Any person wishing to collect money or sell articles for charitable or other purposes on City of London streets (the square mile), can only do so if they seek and are granted a street collection permit by the City of London Corporation, at least 28 days in advance of the collection. The relevant legislation is the Police, Factories & C. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 (the 1916 Act),

• To ensure fairness amongst all charitable or similar organisations wishing to collect money on city of London Streets, and where there is a high demand, the City Corporation may limit the number of permits to one per charity per year, and to prevent members of the public being overwhelmed with charity collectors daily, collections are usually limited to Tuesdays and Fridays.

Background information: The law on street trading

• Any person wishing to sell articles on City streets for the purposes of earning a livelihood, can only do so if they seek and are granted a temporary street trading licence (criteria must be met), at least 28 days in advance of trading. The relevant legislation is the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1987 (the 1987 Act).

Background information: The effect on charities who abide with laws and seek appropriate permissions

• The 1916 Act was intended to offer the public a degree of protection against dishonest appeals and to prevent public nuisance, at a time when most charity collections were for cash. Today, local authorities have seen an uplift in unauthorised collections on their streets. These are usually conducted by non-charities like community interest companies, where collectors approach people on the streets and collect money both through conventional cash collection box methods and modern-day methods with the growth of contactless collections.
• Community Interest Companies may purport to collect for charitable purposes and, whilst they may have community interest, they can distribute profits to their members.