Street trading in Swindon is approaching pre-pandemic levels while the number of taxi-drivers is dropping.

Swindon Borough Council’s head of regulatory services presented a report into the work of the authority’s licensing team.

And the number of licensing applications received at Euclid Street gives an indication into the changing nature of the town.

The applications for animal-related licenses, such as those for day-care, kennels or grooming are nearly three times the level of 2018-19, going from 12 that year to 32 in the year ended on March 31.

On the other hand, applications for gambling licences have dropped from 57  in 2029-20 to 10 last financial year.

Street trading suffered a huge dip in 2020-21 and 2021-22 during the pandemic but has recovered to 145 applications, just nine shy of 2019-20’s 154.

But there were nearly 300 fewer taxi applications last year, 1317 infact, compared to 1601 in 2019-219, although this is an increase on the three previous years.

Ms Bishop told the committee: “We are looking into the reasons, but it seems that in and after the pandemic there was an increase in demand for couriers and delivery drivers and taxi drivers have gone into that where they can use their skills.”