Ice cream war: sellers go head to head in turf battle (From Thisisdorset)

Ice cream sellers go head to head in battle over spot at West Cliff Green

12:00pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in Latest By Arron Hendy

AN “ICE-CREAM war” has broken out at a Bournemouth beauty spot.

Traders Julian Thompson and Stanley Wymark have whipped up a storm as they go head to head in a battle for customers next to West Cliff Green.

The turf war started when Mr Thompson was forced to leave his favoured spot on the grass by the council, where he has been selling from his ice-cream tricycle since March.

He was told his street trader’s licence does not allow him to sell on the green itself so he moved to the edge of the grass.

But that has put him in direct competition with Mr Wymark’s ice-cream van and they have gone cold on each other.

“There’s a bit of an ice-cream war going on,” said Mr Wymark, of West Moors .

“I’ve been up there for three years so it feels like my space but he’s come up and stirred up a hornet’s nest.”

Anyone trading on parks needs to have an agreement with the council.

The two sellers discussed the problem at the green but they failed to come to an agreement.

“He’s upset and I’m upset,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Thompson, who lives at The Triangle, said the problem only arose when he was moved on by the council.

He said: “They’ve taken away my livelihood.”

His tricycle has facilities for him to wash his hands and it converts into a hot dog stand.

Both traders are hoping to gain permission from Bournemouth Council and Mr Thompson has started a petition with local residents.