West Northamptonshire Council responds to latest call for reprieve for food vans facing eviction from town market
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) says they are continuing to take court proceedings against two food vans in Northampton’s market square despite the most recent protest.
As first reported by the Chronicle & Echo, Ciro’s Place and Fryin’ Brian were given four days’ notice to leave their town centre pitches by WNC, giving them until 8pm on April 24 to leave.
A further letter was then sent, instructing the food vans to vacate by Friday May 15, or face legal action. Despite the notices, both vans have continued trading and local people have gathered around them in support.
The local authority has previously said it was trying to “address instances of anti-social behaviour within the square” and that the decision was made as part of an “overall review of the offer of stalls”.
Responding to a request for comment from this newspaper, a spokesperson for the council confirmed there had been no reprieve.
“These two food vans continue to trade on the Market Square unlawfully and we are taking court proceedings in line with the existing tenancy at will,” the spokesperson said.
“This action does not stop the owners from trading elsewhere if they were successful in applying for relevant permits in those areas.
“Ensuring we have a good quality and varied offer of stalls is essential to making our market a success and we will always act when we feel we are falling short of this.
“Recent additions include hand tie-dyed clothing trader 2Dye4 and the McCarthy Dixon Foundation’s mobile community shop, which attends every Tuesday, with more activity and traders expected.
“We are also looking ahead to a programme of summer events which will bring further energy into the town centre,” the spokesperson added.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service outside the Guildhall after the council meeting, Joao of Ciro’s Place said: “I still don’t know what’s happened, they don’t explain anything, they don’t speak to me. I don’t even know the reasons why we have to leave.
“There’s massive support for us and it shows that people want the vans in the market – they don’t want us to go.”