Sheffield parks: Ice cream van faces ban from Endcliffe Park for being too successful
A Sheffield ice cream van could be banned from trading outside a park because it is allegedly taking too much income from rivals.
Cuneo’s Ices faces losing the right to sell on Rustlings Road, by Endcliffe Park, after the parks and countryside service objected, saying it would likely damage traders in the park.
The service takes a cut from Endcliffe Park Cafe and an ice cream van by the playground and spends it on maintenance and improvements, through a charitable trust.
The objection adds: “Any reduction in their revenue could therefore negatively affect the sustainability of the park’s operations and its ability to serve the public.”
It is the third year in a row parks and countryside has asked the licensing department to ban the Cuneo van.
In 2023 it said it was costing it £15,000-a-year.
Cuneo’s was based in the park until it lost its licence in 2022 and moved out to Rustlings Road.
Andrew Cuneo told The Star banning a business on competition grounds was not permitted in law.
He added: “Parks and Countryside seem to think the law of fair trade and competition does not apply to them.
“They can not do this and have been told they can not do this by the licensing committee.”
A petition set up in support of Cuneo’s states: “We have not breached the terms of our licence in any way, but Parks and Countryside do not care for how much they have already impacted us as a small established business at the park.
“We strongly believe that the public should be able to have the choice when visiting the park and have received a lot of positive comments from the public this year about such matters.”
A Sheffield City Council spokesperson said the Cuneo’s van risked undermining the viability of traders in the park.
They added: “Previous objections have been overruled, and the council respects the licensing process.
“The council’s position remains that any activity compromising the trust’s financial sustainability must be carefully considered.
“The council is open to discussing alternative locations for Mr Cuneo’s pitch that do not conflict with Endcliffe Park’s charitable objectives.”