News / Politics
Sale of toasties banned in Monks Park
Cheese toasties have been banned from sale in a Bristol park amid fears a proposed hot food van could attract booze-fuelled antisocial behaviour and motorbike gangs.
Councillors have agreed to grant a provisional licence for cold food, such as ice cream, and tea and coffee in Monks Park, Biddestone Road.
But the vendor would be barred from selling hot snacks following dozens of objections from residents, a ward councillor and the headteacher of a nearby secondary school.
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In the past the park has been plagued by gangs of motorcycle-riding youths “terrorising” families, as well as late-night drunken disturbances, the city council’s public safety and protection committee heard on Tuesday.
Householders feared the proposed hot food van could become a magnet for antisocial behaviour again, which has since been eliminated.
Claire Hiscott argued the lure of a hot food van may encourage students to leave the school premises
Claire Hiscott, a Tory councillor for Horfield, told members the mobile outlet could “lure” secondary school pupils into absconding.
She said: “It’s right next to Orchard School, which is a challenging school that sometimes has a problem with keeping kids in school.
“They have to have patrols of staff to make sure kids don’t walk off site. The lure of a food concession may encourage kids to take a little walk.
“The school has made a lot of effort to encourage healthy eating. We have problems with childhood obesity.
“Historically we had antisocial behaviour, not just motorbikes, from young adults gathering with alcohol and causing a disturbance.
“Anything that’s going to be a gathering place is likely to bring that back. We’ve managed to eradicate that. It’s a nice quiet park.”
One resident who objected to the food van wrote: “We have had motorcycle problems with youths terrorising young families.”
Planning and development officer Sue Long told the meeting: “We’re very mindful of what will work within a park.
“We’re looking to replicate coffee and ice cream rather than a burger or chips van. That’s not something we would consider.
“It’s hot food rather than fast food. It will be more like cheese toasties.”
But members granted permission on condition that any vendor does not sell hot food and operates only between 9am and 6pm.
Richard Eddy, a Tory councillor for Bishopsworth, said the conditions “meet a lot of the public’s concerns”.
The “provisional” application was made by Bristol council’s parks and markets team, which will now put the street-trading consent out to tender.
The successful bidder will have to submit a fresh application, including demonstrating they meet food hygiene standards, as well as abiding by the conditions agreed at Tuesday’s meeting.
Main image from Google Maps
Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol
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