Ice cream licensing

Overview

This ice cream licensing project forms part of an existing ongoing project and aims to change the use of three more parking/loading bays at specified locations to allow licensed ice cream traders to trade from a dedicated bay with an electric power supply

This scheme was designed following feedback from residents and other visitors relating to air quality concerns at various locations where unlicensed street trading was taking place.

We are proposing to introduce an experimental traffic management order at 3 new sites in the borough for ice cream traders.

The 3 sites identified to be included in the consultation for this experimental traffic management order are:

For further information, including maps, for individual sites see the “related documents” section at the bottom of this page. Trading at these sites will be tested and form part of the 12 to18 month consultation period of the experimental traffic management order.  The same licensing approach that was used for phase 1 will be used for these proposed 3 new sites.

The trial period for the proposed 3 sites, using temporary licences, will take place between 2nd May 2022 and 31st October 2022 with initial trading hours of 10am-7pm. 

The trial will be undertaken using an experimental traffic management order over 12 to 18 months, this whole period will form part of the ongoing consultation at these sites, including the trading.  The feedback from this extensive consultation process will be used to form the decision as to whether the bays revert back to their previous use or become permanent.

Please complete the survey to feedback on any comments on the scheme or on any particular site.

You can also register your interest in trading at any of the proposed sites for the upcoming application process.

Applicants will be required to meet the following criteria that will improve the standard of ice cream trading and the local environment:

• Food hygiene certification
• Clearly advertised pricing
• Healthy options such as frozen yoghurt or fruit
• Ability to run on electric/battery, rather than the engine, to reduce air pollution
• All trader assistants to be registered with the Council

Why your views matter

Currently, ice cream vans are allowed to trade without a street trading license, providing they stop for only 15 minutes to serve customers then move on and do not return to the same street within the same day unless the street prohibits itinerant ice cream selling taking place at all.

Within the London Borough of Camden, there are a number of streets that prohibit itinerant ice cream sellers. With current staff resources, there is a limited ability to enforce these streets effectively.  Therefore, unlicensed street traders operate in prohibited streets on a regular basis throughout the summer months resulting in a number of complaints regarding engine idling and air pollution.  Ice cream vehicles are exempt from enforcement of being received.

There is also a problem with air and noise pollution at all locations and there are continual breaches of parking regulations and vehicles plotting up at unsafe locations, blocking the view of pedestrians or other vehicles. 

The majority of ice cream van trading locations don’t have a mains electricity supply and ice cream van traders must run vehicle motor engines to supply power for the refrigeration. This produces significant amounts of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) air pollution which affects the health of traders, customers, and surrounding communities. 

We plan to install power supply points at 10 ice cream sites in the coming months, including the 3 sites we are currently consulting on.  

The key objectives of the scheme are:

• To reduce the number of unlicensed street traders within the borough;
• To have  more control over ice cream traders, by attaching conditions to the licenses issued; relating to healthy food options, the display of prices, hygiene certificates, public liability insurance and registration of assistants;
• To generate a source of income by issuing temporary licenses on an experimental 6-month basis for the sale of ice cream;
• To reduce the crime and disorder related to unlicensed itinerant ice cream van traders by ensuring licenses are issued to traders who are not classed as high risk to the public by requiring a satisfactory DBS check prior to the issue of a license, and;
• To reduce vehicle emissions by making it a condition of any license issued that any vehicle must operate using a power supply so allowing for the engine to be switched off.

As part of this new approach, we would like to get your views on the scheme and provide you with the opportunity to leave any comments, which will help us in the development of future sustainable sites and reduce the number of unlicensed street traders within the borough.