AN ice cream seller has hung on to his licence once again after being accused of further parking violations.

John Bonar, owner of South Ockendon ice cream company, Piccadilly Whip, only narrowly had his street trading licence renewed in June after complaints his vans had been selling ice-cream near Grays beach while parked on double yellow lines.

Thurrock Council's licensing sub-committee renewed the licence on the condition no further parking violations were committed.

On Wednesday (18 October), the committee was asked to decide whether those conditions had been breached after the council received four complaints between August and September that the company had been trading on Thames Road, adjacent to the Beach.

The committee heard Mr Bonar had not received any fines for parking violations.

Anita Sharma from the Lightship café on Grays Beach attended the hearing after supplying evidence of the breaches to the committee.

Mr Bonar said: "I thought this had all been resolved. I did tell all of my drivers not to park there. This was a new driver. As far as I knew it was only two occasions. It's quite a surprise to me that it's four. I spoke to the driver.

"They said they didn't realise and they didn't go back there again. I don't know what else to say. I've tried my hardest to tell all the drivers. I can't be in every van with every driver."

Mr Bonar added: "My vans are everywhere around Thurrock. This last weekend we were in France doing the world championship for motocross. We've been asked to do some of the Olympics in Paris next year. We are a firm that trades on good will and good business. I've done every thing I can.

"I've told them not to do it and once I realised they did I pulled them up and showed them the pictures. My driver parked on a yellow line. I told them not to do it and they haven't. I don't know what else I can do."

The sub-committee decided take no action. The conditions imposed in June remain and Mr Bonar was told parking regulations "must be adhered to at all times" and he "must ensure all operatives comply with the terms of the consent and be mindful of traffic regulations in the area with particular attention in the vicinity of Grays beach".

Mr Bonar was also told his licence was "likely to be revoked" should he appear before the committee again.