Letter: Mobile ice-creams

Sir: I write with reference to Samuel Boote's letter (21 August) regarding mobile ice-cream vans. I would like to put the case of those mobilers who are members of our organisation and responsible, law- abiding traders.

All mobile vans now have to be registered under The Food Safety Act 1990 and the regulations regarding their standards of hygiene are stringent. Street trading is also strictly governed and in some cases licensing is costly. We have worked with the Department of Transport to provide all of our mobiler members with road safety guidelines and dashboard stickers to remind them of safety at all times, and vans generally have a good safety record.

The mobile ice-cream vending trade is like any other - with its good guys and its bad guys. It is not fair to make generalisations on the conduct of all judged on the actions of a minority.

Yours faithfully,

LISA GRIEF

Chief Executive

Ice Cream Alliance Ltd

London, WC1