Community Interest Company, We R Blighty (WRB), and its directors have pleaded guilty to multiple offences of collecting money and street trading in the without the required licences.
At a hearing at 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 (Various Powers) Act 1987 (unlicensed street trading).
Despite repeated written and in-person warnings and advice from the 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 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 Police, for their advice, guidance, and fair and professional handling of this matter.”
The 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.
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