Tewkesbury ice cream parlour opening hours rejected for causing stress

Husband and wife team, Martyn and Mandy, opened The Ice Cream Cottage during lockdown in June 2020

An ice cream parlour has been branded a nuisance after becoming so popular that crowds occupy the pavement outside.

Ice Cream Cottage in Tewkesbury hoped to extend its opening hours but that has now been denied by the council.

One resident said the stress was becoming unbearable with people sitting on her window ledges and leaning against her home.

Parlour owner Mandy Crump said she is doing everything she can to minimise the impact on her neighbours.

The popular spot opened as a takeaway during the pandemic after operating as a tea room for 20 years.

The parlour serves ice cream trays, sundaes and homemade desserts

Run by husband and wife team, Mandy and Martyn, the couple wanted to extend their opening hours from 11:00 to 17:30 Monday to Sunday to 10:30 to 18:30 and open until 20:00 during special events such as the Medieval Festival or Queen's Jubilee.

Mrs Crump said she did not think this would be a problem, given they are also next to a Wetherspoons, which is open until 23:00.

Reviews of the takeaway have described it as serving "the most amazing desserts ever" with "such friendly service".

But residents living next door on St Mary's Lane said its popularity is causing a nuisance, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

One resident told Tewkesbury Borough Council's planning committee on 19 April: "Why should we have to live like this now just because the business decides not to reopen any of its previous indoor tea room space?

"How would you feel if you were to walk out your own front door with customers stood on the doorstep?"

The complainant went on to claim customers ate food leaning against their wall or eating food off their window ledge.

One resident said the popularity of the takeaway was causing unbearable stress

Town councillor Joanne Raywood said the surrounding walls and window ledges have become an integral part of the business.

"If there are no tables and chairs they will make do with a neighbouring garden wall or window ledge without a thought for anything but solving the immediate problem they have of finding a level surface on which to put their purchases," she said.

Mrs Crump said they were forced "to think quick" when the pandemic closed their tea room business in order to offer something different.

"That is something I'm extremely proud of. It makes us unique. Our customer base is consistently growing," she said.

Mrs Crump said they want to extend their opening hours due to feedback from their customers who wanted them to open later

She said she has signs up outside asking customers to respect their neighbours, as well as bins for rubbish.

"Our customers are very considerate. We are family based. It is a happy environment," she added.

"If I saw anyone disrespecting my neighbours I am out there, but I don't. It's not causing the nuisance it has been made out to be."

Council officers recommended approving the proposals but the planning committee disagreed.

Councillors voted to reject the proposals by seven votes to four.