By Richard Whitehouse LDR

A food and drink van selling vegetarian and vegan products has been granted a new street trading licence to operate from a new spot in Falmouth, after saying their current location "smells of wee".

Waves, run by Chris and Sarah Murney, had applied to Cornwall Council for a licence to trade in Queen Mary Road.

The van, which currently operates in Cliff Road, will sell "vegetarian and vegan food and drink, using locally sourced ingredients and products" including fruit smoothies, salad boxes, pasta dishes and pastries.

Falmouth Town Council had objected to the application stating that the location was unsuitable because of road safety and possible nuisance to the public and suggested that it might be better at the opposite end of the street where it was wider and away from residential properties.

Cornwall Council's street trading sub-committee met today to consider the application and agreed to grant it saying that it was "reasonable and proportionate" to do so. They said that whilst they considered the concerns of the town council there had been no objections raised by the highways team or environmental health or public protection officials.

In their submission to the committee Mr and Mrs Murney said one of the reasons they wanted to move to Queen Mary Road is that there is no overnight parking allowed in the street. But they were also concerned about smells in their current location in Cliff Road.

Mrs Murney said: "Cliff Road doesn't have any overnight restrictions so it is sometimes taken up by campers. It also smells of wee at the moment, it is absolutely disgusting."

The couple said that they also wanted to complement other street traders already operating in Queen Mary Road and hoped that the location would also help give them a boost in business.

Steve Eva from Falmouth Town Council said that the council had no issue with Waves who he said "have always kept a clean and tidy area and they have been very respectful in the way they run their business".

He said that the only concern the council had was around the location as it is close to residential apartments which he said were mainly used by older people.

However, Mrs Murney said that there was already a trader, Tidal Coffee, next to where they wanted to trade and said that the location was not close to the apartments or the entrance to the apartments.

Committee members asked about the provision of bins and Mrs Murney said that there was a bin on the van which was used by customers and that they have a commercial contract to dispose of waste.

The street trading committee was unanimous in agreeing to grant the licence which will allow Waves to trade from 8am to 10pm Mondays to Sundays until December 31.