The Street Trading and Pavement Licensing Sub Committee met to discuss applications for street trading consents. A consent for Mr Mike Lewin, trading as 'Crab Shack', to sell food and drink from a converted horsebox in Falmouth was granted. A decision on an application by Julie McLauchlin, trading as 'Barrow Boys', to sell crepes and other foods from a handcart in Newquay was deferred.

Crab Shack application approved

The committee approved the application from Mr Mike Lewin, trading as 'Crab Shack', to operate a street food business at Queen Mary Road, Falmouth. The applicant plans to sell food and drink from a newly converted horsebox trailer between 08:30 and 16:00, Mondays to Sundays, until 31 October 2025.

The application had received an objection from Falmouth Town Council, who were concerned about the noise from generators, as there were already two street traders operating in the area using generators.

Mr Lewin addressed these concerns, explaining that he had been unable to attend the Falmouth Town Council meeting where the application was discussed due to a miscommunication. He stated that he would be using a quiet generator producing 56 decibels, and that this had been confirmed as appropriate by the Environmental Protection Team, provided that trading ended as planned at 4pm. He also said that he would consider placing the generator in a noise-dampening box if noise issues arose.

The committee noted that Environmental Protection did not foresee any issues with the generator, and that no representations had been received from the Highways department.

The committee noted that there were already two licensed street traders in operation on Queen Mary Road, but considered that a third trader would not be too many. However, they said that any further applications should be considered carefully.

The committee granted the application, subject to the standard conditions for street trading consents. They reminded Mr Lewin that the consent did not give him permission to breach any other legislation, such as planning, highways or environmental protection laws.

Barrow Boys application deferred

The committee deferred a decision on the application from Julie McLauchlin, trading as 'Barrow Boys', to sell crepes, doughnuts, poffertjes (Dutch pancakes) and drinks from a Victorian hand cart at the junction of Manor Road and Marcus Hill, Newquay. The applicant proposed to trade between 10:00 and 18:00 from June to September.

Newquay Town Council had objected to the application, raising concerns about road safety due to reduced visibility at the junction, and the potential for the cart to block the emergency exit from the nearby Manor car park.

The applicant's representative said that they had experience in the field, having operated a similar business on a nearby beach. They added that they had not yet decided upon the exact location of the unit, and that they had recently become aware of an unlicensed trader operating at the intended location.

The committee said that they did not have sufficient information to determine whether there were any serious issues in relation to the safety of the public.

The committee recommended that the applicant meet with Newquay Town Council to discuss whether an appropriate location could be found, and to demonstrate how the cart would be brought onto the site.

The committee requested more information about the exact proposed location, together with details of the vehicle that would be bringing the cart to the site, in the form of additional photographs and a detailed plan. They also said that the applicant should consult with the Fire and Rescue Service in relation to the use of LPG gas at the location.

Other business

Councillor Robin Moorcroft was elected Chairman for the meeting.