Your Councillors

From: Piotr Dudkowski
Sent: 05 January 2024 17:40
To: Lorraine Neale <LorraineNeale@maidstone.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Determination of Street Trading application for Vicarage Road, Yalding

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Hi Louise

Thanks for you response to my application, I was sorry to hear of your decision. I have read the reasoning and have to say I strongly disagree with Highways view on the traffic increase which my van would bring to Yalding.

I would like to appeal this decision, if you think this is the right process? Perhaps passing on the following information may re assure Highways that we will not bring the huge increase in traffic that they are rightly concerned about. If I may, I think their thinking is rather misplaced.

We have completed a trial in Yalding and on average we sold x 50 pizzas. (Range from 38-56). We estimate that 70% of our customers walked to the van. (One advanatge of having a van in the village). If we assume 50% drive then that's x 25 pizzas. The average order was x 3 pizzas. So x 8 visits by people in cars. We are open for 4 hours. By my maths that is 2 additional cars an hour assuming that people would NOT be driving out to collect food from further afield. THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO!

Yalding Paris Council mention we parked in the High Street as we couldn't get parked on Vicarage Road. This is wrong. The chef parked on the High Street by mistake as it was his first and second visit to Yalding. Once the PC alerted us to this fact he parked, with no issue, on Vicarage Road. This was a misunderstanding.

We operated a fish n chips van in exactly the same place on a Thursday night for 8 years. We NEVER had any complaints OR where made aware off any issues with additional traffic or parking during this period. In addition, the fish van operated on a Thursday when school and commercial traffic was running too!

The pizzas have gone down really well in the village and we see it as way of REDUCING traffic as people would no longer have to drive out of the village to buy a pizza OR get a delivery company to deliver pizzas.

I am sorry but I just do not understand the Highways stance on this. It does not make sense and acts against the will of the village.

Vicrage Road his the perfect place to park and far enough from residents to cause no issue. On a Saturday night between 4 and 8pm the junction between the High Street and Vicarage Road is not that busy. If you like I will happily stand on the street and do a survey this Saturday to count cars?

As a business we have traditional had a an excellent relationship with the village and Parish council, working together through Covid, attending the Xmas markets, contributing to the Vicars Picnic. We have always listened to the village and have been made to feel part of the community.

In this case it would seem the village would love us to visit. It would add something and keep people in the village rather than seeing them get in the car and drive out for the village!

I look forward to hearing from you

Best wishes

Piotr (chef)

Mike (Owner)