Hot pizzas could be sold on Cheltenham’s Promenade if a bid gets the go-ahead next week.
Applicant James Fisher wants a slice of weekend trade on the busy shopping district as he has applied to sell pizza, desserts and cold drinks.
The treats would be served from a trailer by a business called Bella Mia Pizza, outside beauty shop Space NK Apothecary.
Cheltenham Borough Council officers however recommended Mr Fisher’s application is refused because the proposal is outside the authority’s policy for permitted locations.
However, the officer said the borough council’s licensing sub-committee should still decide on the application’s “individual merits”, and it should hear “clear and cogent reasons” to approve despite being contrary to policy.
According to a council document, the application for street trading consent is to serve the food from Friday to Sunday, between 11am and 9pm.
The report said Mr Fisher would not be able to trade when Cheltenham’s street trading markets, such as the Farmers market and the Arts and Crafts market, takes place if his application is approved.
The council report said: “There is a presumption against the grant of the application because it is not an approved location but this does not fetter the Committee’s discretion to take into account the individual merits of the application and act otherwise.
(Image: Eloisa Wildsmith Photography)
“However, for the Committee to do so, it should hear clear and cogent reasons to depart from the policy. The onus is on the applicant to explain how the merits of their application would warrant that approach. If doing so, they should refer to relevant principles laid down in the Street Trading policy and any other matter they believe is relevant.
“The applicant is to be made aware that if the application is approved, they will not be permitted to trade when there are street trading markets in place.”
Councillors will determine the application on November 4, from 5:45pm.
