Mayow Park ice cream van

[ForestHull]

So I sent a humdinger of an email to the Lewisham Mayor’s office asking if they would consider putting an end to idling ice cream vans and install electricity points in the parks so we can continue to enjoy ice cream without the pollution. Here’s the response:

Dear Mr Hull

Thank you for writing to the Mayor regarding the ice cream van in Mayow Park.

Since the warmer weather arrived there have been some complaints about ice cream vans in several parks and each ice cream vendor received a letter yesterday from Glendale with regards to idling and have been asked to confirm receipt of the letter and re-sign and send back T&C’s which include ‘no idling’ whilst onsite.

Plans are in train for providing electricity supply in parks and site visits and quotes for the works are due to take place in the next few weeks.

I hope that this information is helpful.

Best wishes

Office of Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham

[LeoGibbons]

You got there before me! Looks like me, you and Cllr Paschoud all raised this with the Mayor’s team and Glendale. Glad to see some bullish progress.

[Pea]

Thanks for this Leo. What should we do if we experience them idling in the future weeks of summer?

[ForestHull]

I also asked the Mayor’s office that and they said:

The contact details for reporting any problems in the park are:

Email: lewisham@glendale-services.co.uk

Number: 020 8318 3986

[Anotherjohn]

How much would it cost to provide a secure, lockable electricity point?
If the cost runs into thousands, which, depending on the length of the run and related excavation, conduit and thickness of cabling is not out of the question, how long would it take for the council to recoup that expenditure by, for instance, a nominal increase in the annual rent?
Presumably, the supply would have to be metered and paid for by the ice cream seller?
Isn’t there any way the ice cream seller could operate ‘cleanly’ so that the council doesn’t have to put its hand in its pocket?
If the van was removed, how much revenue would the council lose?

[ForestHull]

@Anotherjohn

How much would it cost to provide a secure, lockable electricity point?

We don’t know, but the Mayors office said they were getting quotes.

@Anotherjohn

how long would it take for the council to recoup that expenditure by, for instance, a nominal increase in the annual rent?

I know that since at least 2014 Mayow park has had an ice cream permit running, bringing the Council / Glendale £1,800 annually (the vendor also has to pay VAT on top).

@Anotherjohn

Presumably, the supply would have to be metered and paid for by the ice cream seller?

I’d imagine so, though I’m no authority on this. Such arrangements are done for some market stalls already. Dulwich park also has electricity points for it’s ice cream vans so must operate some such scheme.

@Anotherjohn

Isn’t there any way the ice cream seller could operate ‘cleanly’ so that the council doesn’t have to put its hand in its pocket?

Possibly. But since at least 2017 and despite prior complaints, this has not happened. Other boroughs banned ice cream vans over pollution concerns back in 2019, see up thread: Mayow Park ice cream van - #29 by ForestHull

@Anotherjohn

If the van was removed, how much revenue would the council lose?

See above for the permit costs.

[Anotherjohn]

Wow!
That’s comprehensive! (or impressive at least)
Thank you