On 10 Jul 2015 at 11:58am Fre wrote:
How can vintage scoops be treated this way when direct competition to smiths was allowed, with Clarks less than 100 yards away. Planning rules are not being fairly applied. The council need to respond. And will they now ban all,the other ad hoc traders as well.
On 10 Jul 2015 at 12:16pm Lewes person wrote:
I don't know any ice cream sellers involved, but I am not sure one can compare competition between non-licensed businesses renting fukll time privately owned retail space and paying business rates as required, with how LDC handle street trading licences. A better comparison would be if LDC were allowing other street traders to trade near competing shops. EG a falafel van near a kebab shop, or a crepe van outside a bakery. Is that happening?
On 10 Jul 2015 at 2:22pm Local wrote:
Does any one really care! The shops in the High Street do not cater for me. Over priced, and do not cater for needs of many in the town. Is this LDC's fault, for the last 30 years most people in Lewes go shopping out of the town, and only really use local shops as a last resort.
On 10 Jul 2015 at 3:00pm Let it go wrote:
frozen.
On 10 Jul 2015 at 3:02pm Neapolitan wrote:
chilly
On 10 Jul 2015 at 5:00pm Let One Go wrote:
Arctic Roll
On 10 Jul 2015 at 9:25pm Fairmeadow wrote:
The planning system is not there to prevent competition.
On 10 Jul 2015 at 10:48pm Tobnac wrote:
As Local rightly points out this has nothing to do with planning. It's a licensing matter.
On 11 Jul 2015 at 7:24am Fairmeadow wrote:
The licensing system should not be there to prevent competition. Monopolies benefit no one except the monopolist.
On 11 Jul 2015 at 10:58am Lewes person wrote:
I don't think they are there to prevent competition, are they? What is your evidence of that? Does anyone actually know what the conditions and policies of licencing are, and why this license was refused? I am not sure why Lewes should be the only town in the country which can't support an ice cream van, as well as shops selling ice cream, and it would nice to see a solution since the result of this is that people cannot buy what they would like to buy and there is now less choice.
On 11 Jul 2015 at 11:12pm Paul wrote:
How are Whambam allowed to trade then? They are selling take away food in competition with all the other food outlets. Plus they have a dog tied up that nearly took the leg of a dog walking past today. they were doing a roaring trade today - surprised they are allowed to stay if ice cream lady chucked out.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 7:45am Ronnie wrote:
Yea - I would have thought they - the take away people - are competing with loads more shops than the ice cream van. I suppose none of the traders have complained like they did with the ice scream
On 12 Jul 2015 at 9:12am Reggie wrote:
P'raps they need some protection, Ronnie.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 10:01am trooper wrote:
@Paul Good point, perhaps they know the "right" people.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 10:43am MissHappy wrote:
I think that you should all be more supportive to your local businesses. The heroic ladies (mostly) who run the cafes and food establishments of Lewes pay their rent, rates and everyone but themselves, in order for you to have your nice bit of cake, sandwich and ice Cream.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 12:37pm Lolly wrote:
A partition to keep the ice cream van ! Let's put a stop to the bullies of Lewes
On 12 Jul 2015 at 12:46pm Golly wrote:
Never mind a partition let's build a wall like the Berlin one across the Cliffe.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 1:23pm Ronnie wrote:
It can be arranged Reggie - but I think that's what the dog's for.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 3:10pm Fred wrote:
Lolly, I support you on this.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 4:52pm Jane wrote:
@misshappy you are misinformed! The ice cream van Is paying a licence fee and should have equal footing with any other busness in the town
On 12 Jul 2015 at 8:45pm MissHappy wrote:
They are paying a single tiny license fee compared with the massive rents of the shops. I know because I was going to get a license to sell handmade Chocolates last Christmas in the precinct, but did not go through with it because of the closeness to Poppy's.
On 12 Jul 2015 at 9:04pm Jane wrote:
@misshappy yes the fee is indeed less, but they are only selling ONE product, so it is perfectly in line with other rate paying businesses
On 12 Jul 2015 at 10:35pm Lewesperson wrote:
Out of interest, what are rents and business rates for one year for a shop, and what is the cost of a license for a year?
On 12 Jul 2015 at 10:58pm MissHappy wrote:
Shop rents start at about £8,000 per year for the smallest independent shops and sections of bigger buildings like the ones in the Riverside Centre and go up to £20,000 plus for the bigger shops. Business rates start at about £1500. The licenses for street trading vary between £50 and £700 according to usage and size of stall.
On 13 Jul 2015 at 2:00pm Belladonna wrote:
So if you can't afford 8k a year you can't start a business / shop, MissHappy ?? In case it had escaped your notice Lewes is a 'market town'. Street traders are to be encouraged in my view. They encourage diversity, independent business and allow entrepreneurs to start up without massive overheads. Unless you are backed by a hedge fund most shops/ business start small and build up.
On 13 Jul 2015 at 3:18pm Thing wrote:
so presuming these figures are accurate we can already see what the problem is. Someone invests in shop premises, pays rates, stock, fixtures wages etc and must be there all day and everyday to create business, the other can pay for several much cheaper licences in various potentially good spots and then pick and choose where to be at various times. The difference is scale of what can sit out on a street, and the cost of a van/ stall etc. Does not mean both are not viable. So what are the criteria for a license, and why was the ice cream one refused? have any other licenses for other applicants been refused , so we can compare?
On 13 Jul 2015 at 6:06pm MissHappy wrote:
The criteria for a street trading license is that the same item is not being sold withing 100 yards. If you have a lovely vintage Ice Cream van in the precinct then the tourists will see that first, therefore obliterating the less obvious Ice Cream businesses further on. The Sussex Express has commented on the pretty immense loss of business to the other small Ice Cream shops. The Van can go anywhere. The Castle area is a big tourist pull with no other small businesses on its door step where they rely on Summer Ice Cream sales.
On 13 Jul 2015 at 8:13pm Fred wrote:
The issue is very clear, how can LDC approve a one year license, but now say there are issues. All the issues were there last year. Come on LDC you are out of order changing your mind on applying the rules. Are you capable of doing the job, looks like you have failed. Maybe a formal apology should be published by LDC. How can any business be sure that what the Council approves in one year will not be approved in the next. This will discourage new business start-ups coming to Lewes.
On 13 Jul 2015 at 10:54pm Reality wrote:
Try rents from between £60k to £100k for some larger stores in the high street then add in rates, wages, heating/electricity etc etc & you'll understand why traders want protecting from temporary licensees or anything else that impacts on their trading.
Permanent shops provide year round service and employment, they don't get to cherry pick the peak seasons.
This discussion has many dimensions but the main point is that rate payers contribute a huge revenue to LDC & rightly deserve consideration, large or small.
Support your local shops
On 14 Jul 2015 at 6:35am Stringseller wrote:
Indeed so, Reality. Where would Lewes be without us. Support your local nightclubs too, and finally say No to nylon twine, rope and stockings.