Food truck applies to sell food behind Kingston pub – but people aren’t happy

Ramazan Yetik applied to Kingston Council for a licence to sell hot and cold food at the rear car park of The Cricketers at 81 Clayton Road in Chessington.

Ramazan has asked for the selling of food to be held between 12pm and 11pm every day, except for Tuesdays.

In order for the application to be approved, the applicant must meet four licensing objectives: compliance with health and hygiene standards, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of public amenity and character of the area.

In a pre-statement, Ramazan assured people that he is “committed to maintaining a peaceful, considerate business”.

He promised that the catering van will operate during limited hours that align with the busiest times of the pub, aiming to minimise resident disruptions.

However, despite these reassurances, some residents have objected to the applicant’s request.

Kingston resident David Tick said: “A food area in the car park will take several spaces away.

“Cricketers Close already has problems with parking for its own residents.

“We do not need any more cars coming into our road for this purpose at any time of the day or night.

“Also, being an outside venue open until 11pm on six days of the week, this will certainly cause some noise especially when some of the punters have had a lot to drink in the pub itself.

“This is a residential area, and my fear is that many of the people will sit on the low wall in Cricketers Close to eat their food, especially in summer.

“It is quite intimidating for people walking past that wall (especially late at night) with a lot of men hanging about drinking and smoking as has happened on previous occasions.

“Having a food venue in the car park will exacerbate the problem.”

Another Kingston resident, Virginia Thrippenton, also objected.

She said: “Where are people going to park?

“We have enough problems with the residents and their friends, who dump their cars on our private car park blocking our access and digress.

“Also, the scooters that could be delivering food that have zero interest in road law and will travel the pavements to get anywhere quicker.

“The local food premises at the top of Hook Road, including the chicken shop, fish and chips place, Greggs, and a general food store, have caused some issues related to antisocial behaviour.

“In response, the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) has installed CCTV in the area to help reduce these problems.

“Additionally, about a 10-minute drive away, near Ewell, there’s a Kentucky Fried Chicken where people often leave scooters scattered around, creating a hazard.

“This is particularly concerning at the corner of Cricketers Close, where vulnerable residents rely on scooters to get out, shop for food, or pick up their newspaper.”

The applicant addressed the issues with parking and access, stating that he understood that parking is a “critical issue”.

He said: “To minimize the impact, our catering van will be positioned strategically to avoid obstructing any parking spaces or access points.

“We will clearly mark any designated areas to ensure that residents’ access to parking remains uninterrupted.”

Ramazan has also assured objectors that his catering business will “prioritise pedestrian and community safety” and they will only work with “licensed and reputable delivery services that follow road laws and avoid using pavements”.

He also promised objectors that his catering van will have clear signage instructing customers on safe routes to enter and exit the area, avoiding local residential roads and turning points.

The applicant also does not “anticipate a significant increase in local traffic” as they expect most of their customers to be foot traffic from the Cricketers.

Ramazan concluded with: “We are committed to maintaining a safe and clean environment around our van.

“Our team will regularly inspect and clean the immediate area to ensure no litter or debris is left behind.

“Additionally, we will maintain communication with the Local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) and support their efforts to keep the area safe and free from undesirable behaviour.

“Our business aims to complement the existing food offerings in the area rather than compete.

“We believe that providing a local catering option at Cricketers pub will benefit the community by offering more variety and convenience.”

Kingston Council is expected to decide whether to approve or reject the license on Tuesday, November 19, after a meeting held on Tuesday, November 12.

Surrey Comet | Kingston