WELL-known ice cream man Chris Copner says he may be forced to seek a trading spot away from Abergavenny after repeatedly being refused a permanent position in the town centre.

Mr Copner, whose distinctive van is well known in the area was delighted when earlier this year he secured a spot in St John’s Square under Abergavenny Market’s block trading consent.

Before I started trading from St John’s Square I spoke to the market manager about having an electric motor fitted to my van which would mean I wouldn’t have to keep the engine running all day and was told that this would be a good idea, so I paid out more than £5,000 for this as I didn’t want there to be any complaints about my engine.

“Before paying out for the motor I checked that the St John’s Square site had the 32 amp hook-up I would need and was assured that it did. Unfortunately when I tried to set it up there was only a 16amp hookup so I have never been able to use it,”said Mr Copner

“I decided to start with two days a week as it was out of season so started on Tuesday, February 26 and paid £42 for the day. I also paid £31.50 for the same space on the Wednesay and traded on the Saturday but when I turned up the following Wednesday I was told that I couldn’t trade as there had been ‘complaints’ about me.

“It seems very unfair that we are the only ice cream van company based in Abergavenny and we always have to fight for the right to trade and I don’t understand why this is.”

“I’ve jumped through hoops to try and do whatever I’ve been asked to do and still objections are put in my way so I don’t really know where to go from here,” said Mr Copner.

“I’ve been told that I can’t trade from St John’s Square because other shops sell ice cream which I think is really below the belt,” he added.

“Greggs sells bread so does that mean that the baker in the market can no longer trade - the same can be said for the butchers and the veg stalls,” he said.

A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council told the Chronicle, “Mr Copner was informed by our market staff that he was unable to sell ice cream in St John’s Square after they received complaints from local businesses which also sell ice cream - street traders may not operate in the same area as shops selling the same goods.

“Our street trading policy states; ‘The use shall not be located within 100 metres of an existing shop, restaurant, hot food take-away, those holding a street trading consent and market (which includes block consents) which primarily sell the same goods’.

“Mr Copner is fully aware of the policy as he holds his own (mobile) street trading consent allowing him to travel around Monmouthshire’s residential streets selling ice cream.

“Mr Copner had previously been refused a street trading consent for St John’s Square. One of the factors for refusal by the council was that Mr Copner intended to sell goods similar to those offered by retail premises nearby.

“When Mr Copner was advised that we had complaints from businesses in St John’s Square, the market staff offered an alternative trading position behind the market on the lower and upper reaches of the Brewery Yard,” he said.