Pizza van shut down after trading in garden with no planning or trade consent

She failed to apply for planning permission or trading consent

A trader who launched a pizza van from her front garden during lockdown has defended the decision to trade without seeking licencing permission from the council.

Lori Kerfoot started trading the We Love Pizza van from her Redcliffe Street home in Sutton-in-Ashfield earlier this month with the hope of earning some funds during the pandemic.

Ms Kerfoot, 44, had bought the van to travel to festivals and events as a caterer, but due to the pandemic has seen all her bookings cancelled.

So, in a bid to bring in some money, she started operating the van from her front garden - and received rave reviews from her customers.

However, she admits she failed to apply for planning permission or traders licences to operate the van, and Ashfield District Council has ordered her to cease trading immediately.

She says it "wasn't my preferred option" of trading but that the pandemic has made her financially desperate.

"We bought the van in January and were planning to go to a few events. The first one we had booked in was in March", she told Nottinghamshire Live.

"We had some more booked in but because of coronavirus they've all been cancelled. My partner is also a market trader and he's had all of his business stopped.

"I just needed a bit of money, the cash hasn't been flowing in, so we started trading from the house.

"I contacted the council asking if I could do it on my garden and the response I got was that it won't be a problem.

"Clearly it was as I needed the licencing and planning permission, and the council have since come and stopped us doing it.

"At the end of the day it was a last resort. Who wants to be trading like that from their front garden? I just needed to make some cash so I don't face losing my house."

The van sells stonebaked pizzas with a variety of toppings, and Ms Kerfoot says the food was well received during the week-or-so she had traded.

Get our top stories sent to you every day

Want us to send you a daily round-up of our biggest stories, and breaking news alerts, direct to your email inbox?

Sign up to our newsletter here.

"The feedback I have had is amazing, people have been supportive of local and small business trying to start up", she said.

"But the council are not happy and won't be until I get proper planning permission and licencing. It's caused a few problems.

"I've spoken to a friend who owns a pub in town and she said I can go and trade in her car park which will be welcome."

A spokesperson for Ashfield District Council confirmed its officers forced the pizza van to cease trading.

Councillor John Wilmott, portfolio holder for regulatory services, said: "Council officers recently wrote to the owner of We Love Pizza and visited the premises, noting that they were trading without planning permission or Street Trading Consent.

"There were also concerns about contraventions in food hygiene legislation.

"These are considered to be breaches of legislation and the owners were therefore instructed to cease trading from the property the following day.

“If this instruction is not followed the council will have no alternative but to issue enforcement notices, stop notices and instigate legal proceedings.

"The council is trying to assist the owner in finding an alternative location from which they could trade owing to the struggles all businesses are facing in these difficult times.

"The owner must submit full application for street trading consent before they can begin trading at any other site."