The Street Trading and Pavement Licensing Sub Committee of Cornwall Council was scheduled to consider an application for a street trading consent. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items.

Application for Street Trading Consent: Mr Michael George trading as Mr Georges

The committee was scheduled to consider an application from Mr Michael George, trading as 'Mr Georges', for a street trading consent. The application proposed selling beef burgers, hotdogs, and baps from a mobile catering trailer. The proposed trading location is a layby near Tollgate Farm Caravan and Camping Site in Perranporth, Cornwall. Mr George requested to trade on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 07:30 and 22:00, with hours dependent on trade, weather, and daylight.

A key aspect of the application was a request for an exemption from standard condition 19, which stipulates that any stall or vehicle used for street trading must not remain on site outside of the stated trading hours. Mr George's application indicated a desire for the trailer to remain in the layby overnight.

The report pack detailed various consultation responses received regarding the application. Perranzabuloe Parish Council objected on public health and environmental grounds, citing concerns about hygiene, food safety, waste management, and recycling. They also noted that Mr George had been residing in the caravan from which he intended to trade, expressing concern that the street trading licence application might be an attempt to regularise this arrangement.

The Highways department initially refused the application, stating that the trailer must be removed from the highway when not in use and that the open hatch must be at least 0.5 metres from the carriageway edge to prevent obstruction. Previous comments from a Highway Manager in July 2025 also raised concerns about the risk of criminal activity if the trailer was left unattended, particularly due to the presence of gas canisters and flammable items. Mr George responded to these concerns, stating that he had not experienced any criminal activity in four years, had £10 million in insurance, and that removing the canteen every night would be against net zero laws. He also noted that he lived in the car next door. Highways later confirmed that they would be satisfied if the trailer was moved back to allow 0.5m clearance from the carriageway, but their decision not to remove condition 19 (regarding the trailer remaining on site overnight) remained unchanged.

The Senior Environmental Health Officer, Ian Bott, initially raised concerns about the provision of toilet facilities and a suitable supply of potable water for the long trading hours. However, he later confirmed that satisfactory arrangements were in place, with Mr George using facilities at Tollgate Farm Caravan Site and transporting potable water. Mr Bott also noted allegations that Mr George routinely slept in his car on site, but stated he had no evidence of this.

Waste Management advised that the trader would need a formal waste contract, and an agreement with the campsite for waste collection would not suffice. Environmental Protection noted that Mr George would need to register as a waste carrier and could use household waste and recycling centres, but commercial waste collections would likely be more appropriate.

The report also outlined the legal framework for street trading under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, and how Cornwall Council designated the entire county as a 'consent' area in 2016. It highlighted the implications of the European Union Services Directive (EUSD), which requires any prohibition on street trading authorisation to be justified by an overriding reason relating to the public interest.

The committee was presented with several options: approval of the application, deferral of the application, refusal of the application, or approval with amendments. The report pack included appendices detailing the application, street view images of the location, and the council's standard street trading conditions.