Ice cream van warning

A WARNING has gone out to make sure your ice cream comes from a registered van.

The council’s Public Protection Partnership (PPP) is warning that some of the stop me and buy vans aren’t somuch sprinkled with hundreds and thousands, but potential risks as it doesn’t know if the operators are flaky.

It says that it is aware of three van operators using social media to announce last-minute locations rather than having regular routes in residential areas.

And it is worried, as they don’t know if the van owners have appropriate food hygiene standards in place.

The PPP, which Wokingham Borough Council runs in conjunction with West Berkshire and Bracknell Forest councils, wants residents to watch out for vendors who are operating without display in a consent notice in their van’s windows.

It also says that food hygiene ratings of the van operator can be checked on the Food Standards Agency website.

Traders granted a consent are routinely checked for food hygiene standards and adherence of their Street Trading Consent.

And while the PPP says it has asked the unlicensed traders to cease trading until street trading consents have been granted, it says that they have carried on creating 99s, oysters and other frozen treats.

Cllr Hilary Cole from West Berkshire Council is the chair of the Joint Public Protection Committee.

She said: “Following the Covid-19 shutdown we want to encourage local businesses but we ask that the public check Ice Cream vans have the proper consent to trade, and are displaying their street trading consent and food hygiene rating.

“This is to ensure that the ice cream you and your children are consuming is being prepared and stored safely and strict hygiene standards are being met.”

Anyone who spots a trader without a valid Street Trading Consent can email licensing@wokingham.gov.uk