Ice cream man fights for location

AN ICE cream seller has won a partial victory in his bid to stay trading outside a Sheffield park.

Andrew Cuneo was granted a new 12 month trader's licence to stand outside Weston Park despite opposition from council officials, museum bosses and police – but he now faces a second hurdle before he can continue to use the site.

He must move the van so it is not blocking the park gates and has to make a second application to Sheffield Council's parks and countryside department for a premise licence.

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Mr Cuneo said: "I've been told not to celebrate too early - but councillors on the Licensing Board have voted for common sense.

"The people who run the museums and parks department need a reality check. After 50 or 60 years of having a van outside - for 14 of which we've been here - they have decided they don't want one any more. They are alienating ordinary working people."

It is the second time in a year the Walkley-based ice cream trader has had to fight to retain the pitch at the gates of Weston Park, on Western Road.

At a hearing last Autumn, his van was dismissed as "clutter".

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Licensing councillors were told yesterday of concerns the vehicle would block new signs for the park, as well as taking up too much pavement, endangering pedestrians.

Instead, officials wanted ice creams to be sold from a "high quality" non-motorised handcart, barrow or bicycle parked in a different place, inside the gates - which they believed would be more in keeping with the park, currently being refurbished at a cost of 2.7 million.

Mr Cuneo's current permit expires on October 14, but he added: "We hope we will still be there, serving all our regular customers. I would like to thank everyone for their support."

He denied claims his van takes up too much pavement, saying it is set back in the park gateway.

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Police had said queues from the ice cream van were forcing some people to walk by on the road, putting them at risk from passing traffic.

Sheffield Council said safety was its main reason for wanting to move the van, and that Mr Cuneo was invited to apply to trade inside the park instead.

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