Introduction
It is an offence to distribute 'free printed matter' within Oxford without our consent.
This includes:
- Leaflets
- Printed balloons
- Printed stickers
- Printed carrier bags
- Printed wristbands
- Printed T-shirts/clothing
- Printed Carrier Bags
- Printed Baseball Caps
Examples of activities that would require our consent are:
- a promoter for a nightclub giving out flyers to passing members of the public promoting an event at a venue
- the owner of a shop giving out leaflets to passing members of the public promoting the sale of goods at their premises
- an estate agent who leaves a box of property newspapers on the street at the entrance to their premises
- a board left outside a college promoting a theatre production that has a pocket containing leaflets attached to it
- a pile of flyers left on top of a piece of street furniture or a window ledge for passing members of the public to pick up
- a promotional stand set up in the street from which free leaflets are available promoting tourist activities such as bus rides or walking tours
- a promoter placing leaflets under the windscreen wipers of parked cars in a park and ride car park
Exemptions and summary consent
We allow distribution of printed matter without any further consent if it is:
- for the benefit of a charity,
- for political purposes
- for the purpose of a religion or belief
- by an organisation promoting public health or carbon reduction (NHS, Fire Service, Police, Health Protection Agency, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Environment Agency)
- by an organisation promoting bus travel within Oxford (Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach, Thames Travel)