Strand on the Green Gelato Man Keeps Licence

Councillors decide that objectors did not provide grounds for refusal

Tricycle-based gelato salesman Michele Detomaso

July 3, 2025

A bid for the renewal of a trading licence to allow the sale of gelato from a bike outside the Strand on the Green Schools has been successful despite the opposition of the schools’ leadership, some parents and a local councillor.

The Licensing Panel of Hounslow Council convened on 25 June and was chaired by Cllr Farhaan Rehman. The meeting’s primary purpose was to review an application submitted by Michele Detomaso, trading as Non Solo Gelato, for a temporary street trading licence to operate at the pavement junction adjacent to Thames Road and Brooks Lane in Chiswick (W4 3RE).

Mr Detomaso explained that he has operated his gelato bike on this stretch for the past four years under successive temporary licences. He highlighted his long-standing rapport with the local community and noted that he plans to sell the business in September. Given the pending change in ownership, he requested licencing for only the remainder of the year while future adjustments are considered.

Despite the applicant’s experience and community ties, the proposal drew considerable opposition from residents and one councillor. The council received eighteen written objections from parents and neighbours. Their concerns centred on the ice cream bike’s proximity to the schools, raising fears it could unduly influence children, impede efforts to promote healthy eating, and present frustration for parents—one mother described difficulties escorting her autistic daughter past the bike

The Panel weighed Mr Detomaso’s positive track record and business stability against public concerns around children’s eating habits, parental expectations, and accessibility for neurodiverse pupils. The local authority acknowledged the objections but ultimately found that these did not amount to sufficient grounds for refusal under the prevailing street trading policy.

. The permission allows trading from Monday to Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., for exactly 18 weeks—expiring on 31 October 2025 . . A clearly defined trading zone was outlined: a strip no more than 1.10 m deep and 2 m wide, with at least 1.8 m of unobstructed footpath left for pedestrians

Additionally, the Panel revised three specific clauses (64, 65, and 68) within the Hounslow Council’s standard temporary street trading conditions. Their modifications clarified applicability to mobile vendors—such as ice cream bikes—rather than stationary stalls or markets
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