Food stall Crave Street Food given permission to trade from horsebox in Truro City Centre

A food stall owner has been given permission to use a horsebox for his business despite concerns about the size of the outlet. Paul Coster, who runs Crave Street Food, had applied to alter his street trading licence in Truro City Centre.

Mr Coster, who serves hot dogs and snacks in Pydar Street, currently operates from a gazebo in the street but had asked Cornwall Council to alter this so he could use a trailer instead. However, his application had attracted objections from Truro City Council and Truro BID which were concerned about the size of the trailer and whether it was suitable for the pitch in Pydar Street.

Mr Coster told a meeting of Cornwall Council’s street trading sub-committee that the horsebox he wanted to use was slightly longer than the gazebo but was narrower so would actually provide more space for pedestrians.

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He said that he wanted to have the ability to use the trailer as it would be better for when weather was poor and more suitable in the winter months. The application also sought to extend the times of operation to 10pm, but Mr Coster said that this would only apply on special occasions such as the Christmas late night shopping events in the city.

Mr Coster said that he felt that the horsebox would look better than the gazebo and that it would be welcomed by other businesses in the city. He said: “It is about creating a vibrant Pydar Street.”

Steven Webb, from Truro City Council, said he was concerned that if the licence was granted it could set a precedent and that other street traders would want similar trailers. He was also concerned that these could block the street.

Alun Jones, from Truro BID, said that he feared that allowing trailers into Pydar Street could block people from walking down the street and being able to see across the street to other shops.

He said: “It is almost a high street within the high street, we don’t think that is the ambience that we would want.”

The committee agreed to grant the street trading consent saying it did not consider there was sufficient evidence to refuse the application. The committee noted the concerns but said that there would be no risk of precedent as every application would be considered on its own merit.

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