Ludlow ‘cluttered up with ice cream vans’
Saturday 25th June 2011, 11:29AM BST.
A row over the number of ice cream vans spoiling the historic beauty of Ludlow has led to councillors launching a public consultation on the issue.
Ludlow Town Council has received complaints from shoppers about ice cream vans in the square spoiling views of the historic castle.
Shop owners have also called for the council to act, complaining new arrivals are taking their trade.
Town clerk Veronica Calderbank confirmed it was a “hot topic” councillors were working to tackle, after taking over management of street trading in April.
She said: “Shops seem to feel there are enough ice cream outlets already and argue they aren’t making a profit, but in terms of the council decision, arguments about money don’t stand.
“But if the town council feels enough ice cream is already being sold here, it can stop the street sales.”
She said the lack of a definite council policy was causing “public outcry”, with one van owner being refused a permit in June yet still being allowed to trade.
Shops including Chocolate Gourmet, Castle Lodge Buttery, Spar, Swifts and Castle Tea Rooms all sell ice cream in the square.
Wendy Kirby, from Castle Lodge Buttery, said: “We’ve had a new van parked right in the middle of the square since May taking custom from all of us who have been here for years.
“My rent is extremely high and my rates are, too, so to just see people come in from out of town and park up doesn’t seem fair.”
But Lorna Kendall, who runs the Wyvern Ices van, said: “We are the only ones in the whole of Ludlow selling soft ice cream so we aren’t really in competition with anyone.”
Views on the issue can be e-mailed to townclerk@ludlow.gov.uk before July 11.
Most Commented
- Clampdown on Shrewsbury chuggers
- Bishop's gay marriage views do nothing to support bible teachings
- Planners ordered to stay on Newport visit bus
- Letter: Angered by close encounter of the furred kind
- Letter: Alcohol price plans annoy me
- Shrewsbury’s broadband speed one of slowest in UK
- Letter: No sense in overseas job adverts
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Perhaps if the shops sold the goods at competitive prices the vans would soon go out of business.
Surely if these tradespeople hold the appropriate licences the council would be liable to be sued under the HRA by preventing them from earning a living.
Report abuse
Welcome to healthy competition, if you don’t like it, sell something else, be creative.
Report abuse
The ice cream vans presumably have to have some form of licencing so if they pay their way how can they be prevented from trying to earn a living? It’s called competition.
Report abuse