Unlicensed ice cream seller fined after returning to town

A MAN has had to pay more than £2,000 after it was found he was illegally selling ice cream in Farnborough.

The salesman believed he was not committing an offence as he was trading on private land.

Francesco Carchedi, of Oxford Road in Swindon, travelled to Farnborough during lockdown in May 2020 to sell ice creams outside the former Farnborough Leisure Centre car park. He was asked to move on by police and given advice on how to apply for a street trading licence.

He moved to West Farnborough Club, in St Christopher’s Road, a five-minute drive from the original spot. Again he was asked to move because he did not hold the relevant street trading consent and then he left the area. Carchedi was found to be trading outside the club again six months later, on November 17 2020. He was asked to leave once more, but this time he refused to move.

The 38-year-old appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday June 7 where he admitted a charge of trading without a licence. Carchedi told the court he left the area immediately the first time, but had been told by someone that he could trade without a licence on private land.

After hearing this, he returned to Farnborough and did not think he was committing an offence. He explained that, despite licensing officers asking him to move, he had travelled a long way and needed to cover the costs.

Magistrates imposed a fine of £600, a victim surcharge of £60 and council investigation and legal costs of £1,429.77. The total costs came to £2,089.77.

Rushmoor Borough Council’s cabinet member for operational services, Cllr Maurice Sheehan, said: “Mr Carchedi was advised and had ample opportunity to apply for a trading licence before returning to Farnborough, but failed to do so.

“Even when he was warned on his return that he could face prosecution he continued to trade – so he really gave us little option other than to prosecute.

“This is certainly a costly lesson for him. It’s important that all traders are properly licensed to ensure public safety.”