Council bans ice cream van from street following chime complaints

An ice-cream van operator has been banned from operating on an East Suffolk Council street over a complaint that one of its vehicles sounded its chimes for too long.

The decision was made at a licensing sub-committee in which the council heard complaints saying the van played its chimes for as long as 20 to 35 seconds as well as while being stationary, contrary to the Code of Practice on Noise from Ice-Cream Van Chimes Etc. in England 2013.

The code states that music from an ice-cream van should be played in chunks lasting 12 seconds, only once when the vehicle is stationary and never at intervals of less than 2 minutes.

East Suffolk also learnt that the trader, Mr Mohamed Lamarti, had been using two vehicles that were not covered by a street trading consent.

The operator must now stay away from Ashfield Crescent in Lowescroft, keep a written record of when and where a vehicle is trading, and must abide by the code of practice on ice-cream van chimes.

Adam Carey