Derbyshire council wants to set up ice cream stalls in parks, a town centre and marketplaces

Amber Valley Borough Council is asking for applications from companies to run the proposed ice cream stalls.

It wants to see the stalls set up in Crossley Park in Ripley, on Ripley marketplace, Heanor marketplace, Institute Lane in Alfreton and in the Belper River Gardens.

Prospective companies would run the ice cream and hot and cold drinks stalls for seven days a week, 48 weeks of the year, between April 1 until March 31 2024 on Heanor and Ripley marketplaces; and 30 weeks per year between April 1 and October 31 in Belper River Gardens and Crossley Park.

The application to oversee the stall in Alfreton town centre would be handled through a separate council process.

Papers on the council website, asking for businesses to come forward, prompt the applicants to suggest what amount of money they would run services for at each location.

Applications must be submitted by February 7 and licences will be awarded by February 14.

The pitch for the Belper stall would be in the River Gardens car park, next to the bridge; the Heanor stall would sit close to the public toilets facing onto Market Street; the Ripley marketplace stall location has not been specified; and the Crossley Park stall would sit next to the children’s play area off School Lane and Shirley Road.

The borough council is the latest of a number of local authorities looking to set up ice cream stalls in local parks in a bid to bring in further much-needed income.