Francesco Carchedi of Chez Ices, Swindon fined £2,000 for selling ice creams illegally in Farnborough, Hampshire

Francesco Carchedi, 38, of Oxford Road, Swindon, trading as Chez Ices, admitted a charge of trading without a licence when he appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, June 7.

Magistrates imposed a fine of £600, a victim surcharge of £60 and council investigation and legal costs of £1429.77, totalling £2,089.77.

The court heard that Carchedi was originally given support and advice on how to apply for a street trading licence during lockdown in May 2020, when he was found to be selling ice creams in the former Farnborough Leisure Centre car park. He was asked to leave by the police, but then moved to a location outside the West Farnborough Club in St Christopher’s Road. Again, he was advised by police, with guidance from the council’s licensing team, that he did not hold the relevant street trading consent and left the area.

However, Carchedi was found to be trading outside the club again on 17 November 2021. Although he was asked to leave, he refused to do so - so a decision was made to prosecute.

Carchedi told the court that the first time that he had traded in Farnborough, he had left the area immediately.

Later, after being told by someone he did not need a licence if he was trading on private land, he returned to Farnborough and therefore did not believe that he was committing an offence.

He explained that, although licensing officers had told him on the evening of the offence that he could not trade, he had travelled a long distance and needed to cover his costs.

Rushmoor Borough Council’s cabinet member for operational services, Cllr Maurice Sheehan, said: ‘Mr Carchedi was advised and had ample opportunity to apply for a trading licence before returning to Farnborough, but failed to do so. Even when he was warned on his return that he could face prosecution he continued to trade - so he really gave us little option other than to prosecute. This is certainly a costly lesson for him.

“It’s important that all traders are properly licensed to ensure public safety.’