A plan to place a mobile pizza van near a church in Kingston upon Thames has been approved, despite concerns from local residents and church representatives. One resident's objection was described as discriminatory by the applicant, but the Licensing Sub-Committee proceeded with the application.
The Kingston upon Thames Council Licensing Sub-Committee granted a temporary street trading licence to Vesuvio on the Road, a mobile pizza business, to operate outside St Pius X Church at the Triangle, Kingston-upon-Thames. The decision was made during a meeting on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, but not without addressing significant local apprehension.
The application, submitted by Vincenzo Rea, sought permission to sell hot and cold food from a trailer in two parking spaces, initially proposing hours from Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 to 22:00. However, the committee imposed additional conditions to mitigate potential disruption.
Nicky Bentley, the licensing officer, noted that the application had generated 34 representations, including one from the council's highways officer, and 33 from other persons. Concerns raised related to parking, the proximity of a pizza van to a church, child safety, litter, and smells. Details of these representations can be found in Annex 3 - Representations Redacted.
Alessandra Palomba, one of the applicants, stated that they had revised their proposed hours to address local concerns, and would now trade from Tuesday to Friday, 16:30 to 22:00, and not on Saturdays. She also noted that they had offered to communicate with the church and highway authority to find solutions, but had not received a response. She said that some objections appeared to be co-ordinated and that one was discriminatory, making assumptions about the nature or appropriateness of their business.
Dougal Heath, a local resident, voiced concerns about potential litter problems and questioned the permissibility of burning a wood fire in the area. He also raised concerns about delivery drivers parking in the area, and the potential for antisocial behaviour.
Neil Saladkjusic, speaking on behalf of Father Alfred and the parish pastoral council of St. Pius X Church, stated that the location was inappropriate for a fast food retail operation, and that the presence of a pizza van would encourage gatherings and antisocial behaviour. He also raised concerns about the loss of parking provision for disabled and elderly churchgoers, and restricted access for funerals.
The sub-committee ultimately decided to grant the application, subject to the following additional conditions:
- Trading hours to be 17:30 to 22:00, Tuesday to Friday only.
- Trading cannot take place on holy days of obligation as defined by the Catholic Church of England and Wales Liturgy Office.
- Trading cannot take place when a funeral service is taking place in the church, provided the church has given seven days' notice to the trader. The applicant is required to provide an email address to the church office for funeral notifications.
- Litter picks on days of operation will take place within the immediate area.
- The applicant must provide an email address to the church office for notice to be given regarding funeral services.
Councillor James Giles, Leader of the Opposition, noted that the onus was on the applicant to prove that the business could operate successfully in this location. The sub-committee's decision suggests they were willing to give the applicant a chance to demonstrate responsible operation, with the understanding that the license could be revoked if problems arose.
Councillor Giles also stated that if noise, antisocial behaviour, or smells emerge, statutory measures could be taken through the environmental health process to address them. He added that the success of Vesuvio on the Road's operation would be measured over the six-month temporary license period, and a permanent license would not be granted if issues arose. If there's the emergence of too much noise antisocial behavior smells it will not get a permanent license.
The decision was made in accordance with the London Local Authorities Act 1990, which governs street trading in London. The sub-committee also had regard to the council's own Street Trading Policy, which sets out the criteria for determining applications for street trading licences.
