# Casual Trading - Help!



## BurritoQueen (23 Apr 2007)

URGENT! I need help finding a weekday (M-F) pitch to work my BEAUTIFULL 18' Catering Caravan.  I sell (along with a regular Irish menu) Mexican and American BBQ as well. I'm fully insured, have a HACCP flow chart, Health and Safety cert. I live in LUCAN....but can and will relocate for a year-round secure 'pitch' anywhere in Ireland.

Two weeks ago (after 3 months of daily searching) I found private property at Cloncurry Cross, Enfield, Co Kildare from which the owner said I was welcome to park the caravan and conduct business. There is a HUGE layby in front of his farm sheds along the OLD gravel Dublin road which is now bypassed by a parallel new road. There is plenty of easy (& safe) access and parking for lorrys and cars. I notified the local police in Trim and set up business. After many long LONG hours and much road-sign marketing, I've built a repeat trade that is nearly at break-even. The truckers tell me again & again how greatful they are for a break and a coffee on this particular route BUT last Friday the Enfield Garda came by (although he admitted that Cloncurry Cross was not within his juristicion) and explained that I was not allowed to trade in Co Kildare and that he was giving me a 'warning'. The Kildare Co Council seems to take the position that NO casual trading will be allowed outside of Farmers Markets and Events..... 

Is there ANYTHING I can DO and still keep trading in Cloncurry?  It would be great to have a chance to stay while petiitioning for my location I don't want to lose the customers I've garnered OR my van and caravan to seizure!

I'm doing the seasonal weekend markets in HOWTH and such and some Summer 'events' but I REALLY need a regular weekday spot ASAP I'm nearly out of my start-up capital and must generate revenues!

Thanks for any suggestions....


----------



## ClubMan (23 Apr 2007)

BurritoQueen said:


> Is there ANYTHING I can DO and still keep trading in Cloncurry?


Comply with the relevant laws - e.g. apply for the relevant license if such exists?


----------



## ubiquitous (23 Apr 2007)

I think you are unwise to post such specific information here for all to see.


----------



## money man (23 Apr 2007)

If it is actually private property and not just the roadside which may be owned by the council then im not sure whether they can tell you you cannot trade from there. You should make sure alrite that you are in compliance with all bylaws. Is there a casual trading licence required for you to carry out your business in kildare. if there is you should apply asap but other than that i dont see what objection the guards could have?


----------



## BetterBiz (23 Apr 2007)

Surely you can't just set up a catering van on any bit of roadside property (private or otherwise) without some kind of permission from the local authority otherwise every field in ireland with a bit of road frontage would have a burger van on it!

I'd have thought that you would need planning permission to be able to operate a commercial business from any piece of land. Do you know what this land is zoned? If it is agricultural then I think the chances of you being able to continue are slim.


----------



## setemupjoe (23 Apr 2007)

i think your best bet is to try get a pitch in one of the large industrial estates ,you could approach the owners and ask can you set up on one of the verges ,most would be happy to have the service on there doorstep.i think mostinternal roads are private property too ,and the council arent too bothered with this type of trading.i think roadside is always a worse option as it brings up all sorts of problems,e.g. danger to road users,customers running accross the road etc. cops wont bother you in an industrial estate. plus you have a hungry workforce to feed each breakfast ,lunch .you can buy the dublin street guide map in most garages and the industrial estates are colour coded ,the new ones on the outskirts of dublin /kildare/meath/louth would be good areas to look as most older sites have people already,new parks being built each month .worth a try BEST OF LUCK !


----------



## BurritoQueen (25 Apr 2007)

Wow thanks folks. for the feedback...  Yes I CAN trade on private property as long as the Guarda have satisfied themselves that the business does not cause a traffic hazzard and as long as the basic liability insurance(s) and Health and Safety regulations are complied with (such as no-one sitting down and eating and clean food hygiene is practiced). I saw no reason not to display where I am trading in my message. I've nothing to hide I'm either legal or I shouldn't be trading. 

But nevertheless I gotta say I DO love my work. It feels pretty wonderful to serve folks a bit of tasty fair that's also prepared with good health in mind, to see those truckdrivers smack their lips and return the next day never realizing their onions were grilled in virgin olive oil ....? Yup it's a good feeling. 

I am looking in Industrial estates as well but many are within township boundries whose laws are more complex and enduring then 'County' laws on Casual Trading. Most towns (within 2 hrs of Dublin) have MANY strict limitations and restrictions on caravan-style casual trading for example: Co Meath only allows 4 public pitches in the entire county...tisk tisk! But where there is a willl there is a way.............just wanna earn a livin'.


----------



## BurritoQueen (25 Apr 2007)

Oh yes of course the county bylaws on casual trading MUST be complied with before one can set up a roadside business....Most of the traditional 'chip' vans that I heard of being moved or shut down were often just 'squatting' on someones land without permission or didn't have proper insurance in place.


----------



## auto320 (25 Apr 2007)

Saw your signs a week or so ago and wondered where the van was; just saw the signs but didn't look into the yard and didn't spot you.

The authorities practically closed down the take-away business in a supermarket out near Moyvalley a few years ago, the place with the filling station on the right as you go out from Dublin. The trucks used to park along the road out front of the place (the food was good) but then the road got itself a set of yellow lines to stop the parking.

Its good that the forces of law and order have enough spare time to chase away someone who is just selling food on private property. Glad to see that Enfield is crime free!


----------



## setemupjoe (26 Apr 2007)

pitty they didnt spend as much time making sure our hospitals were as clean !(the health inspectors)


----------



## BurritoQueen (26 Apr 2007)

Well I have a new spot (T-F & 7-5 starting in 2 wks) and (gulp) it's in MoyValley just past the filling station but on the LEFT side (Mother Hubbards side of the road) where the commuter cars park across the road from the garden store. A new kind farmer (seems like there's a lot of 'kind farmers' in Meath) owns the little rundown cottage next to the cemetary and all the land in front and he's has offered me a spot. He's even kind enough to hook me up with mains for water and electricity.....so we will see.... the saga of the middle aged serial entreprenuer continues........


----------



## Obriener (25 Jul 2010)

Hi, just came acrross your post. I've started a small mobile coffee business, and I'm wondering how you're getting on, are you still in business?


----------

