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Cllr Steven Heather
1 Webcasting Introduction
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
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Cllr James Small
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Cllr Graham Wiskin
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Louis Beardmore
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Cllr Steven Heather
2 Apologies for Absence
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3 Declarations of Interest
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4 Procedure for the Conduct of Business
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8 Application to Renew Street Trading Consent - High Street, Epping
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Peter Jones
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Public Speaker
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
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Cllr Lisa Morgan
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Peter Jones
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Cllr Steven Heather
8 Application to Renew Street Trading Consent - High Street, Epping
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Cllr Steven Heather
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Disclaimer: This transcript was automatically generated, so it may contain errors. Please view the webcast to confirm whether the content is accurate.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:00:00
Good morning and welcome to this session of the Licencing Subcommittee on Tuesday 4 August2026.
1 Webcasting Introduction
Before we begin, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting will be filmed live or recorded
and uploaded to the internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.
Therefore, by participating in this meeting, you are consenting to be filmed and to the
possible use of those images and sound recordings.
If any public speakers on MS teams do not wish to have their image
captured they should ensure the video setting throughout the meeting is turned
off and set to audio only. Members and public speakers are reminded to turn on
the microphones before speaking and turn them off when I've finished.
Morning my name is Councillor Stephen Heather I'll be the chair for this
morning's meeting. To my left is Lynn Ridley and Charlotte Baker from the
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:00:50
legal department and to their left is Louis Beardmore from Democratic ServiceTo my right, no it's not, yes it is.
To my right is Councillor Lisa Morgan
and Councillor Jane Small.
Cllr James Small - 0:01:04
We will be the panel, have you any objection to us?Cllr Steven Heather - 0:01:07
No, and to the far right is Steve Mitchellfrom the webcasting department.
Also sitting in is Councillor Graham Whiskin
who will be the observer to this meeting, thank you.
Cllr Graham Wiskin - 0:01:22
Apologies for absence.Cllr Steven Heather - 0:01:25
Louis Beardmore - 0:01:26
No apologies, Chair.Thank you.
Any declarations of interest?
No.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:01:30
Thank you.The procedure for the conduct of business of these subcommittees can be found on pages
2 Apologies for Absence
3 to 9 of the agenda.
3 Declarations of Interest
4 Procedure for the Conduct of Business
There is no reason to exclude public and press as the agenda item 60 Hackney carriage driver
has not appeared today for reasons.
8 Application to Renew Street Trading Consent - High Street, Epping
So, we can move on to application, sorry,
agenda item eight, the application to renew
a street trading consent high street Epping
on pages 21 to 43.
And, sorry?
No, no.
Peter, please.
Thank you, chair.
Peter Jones - 0:02:14
Yeah, we're here today to determine the renewalof a street trading application,
a street trading consent, sorry,
in respect of High Street Epping
just outside Marks and Spencers.
Mr Raymond who's here today applied last year
for A Street training consent for six days a week
and before subcommittee hearing that was agreed
to be reduced to three days to following objections
received about it being a detriment to the area
and having a negative effect on the Monday market.
So the application today seeks to mirror the consent that was granted by a committee a
year ago and that is to sell fruit, vegetables, salad, herbs, flowers and eggs, Tuesdays,
Fridays and Saturdays 7am to 6pm and that application is attached to the report.
The local government miscellaneous act provisions act 1982 doesn't require us to carry out any
Coro Consultation, however, we do notify Essex Police,
Essex Fire Service, the Environmental Health,
the Community Resilience Team, Essex Highways,
the Town and Ward Councillors.
A public notice was also displayed at the site
and a copy of that is attached to the report.
We received one objection to the application for renewal
and that was from the Epping Town Council.
Responses were also received from Essex Police,
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, Environmental Health,
and, sorry, Environmental Enforcement,
and Councillor John Whitehouse,
which also attached to the report.
As I say, just a slight background was
that the application previously was made in May, 2025
for consent Tuesday to Saturday, seven till 6 p .m.
And following those comments,
the application was granted
for Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
I have had a correspondence from the town council
this morning that just advised
that whilst they would normally attend such a hearing,
given their previous history with Mr. Raymond,
and they feel it would not be in anyone's best interest
for the town council to attend.
And so they've asked me just to pass
that information on to you.
But if you do have any questions, chair members,
then please do ask.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:04:21
Sorry, sorry.Right, thank you.
Yeah, it's your opportunity, sir, to.
Public Speaker - 0:04:37
I'm Mr Raymond, I've been in Hepburn High Street for over 25 years.I worked the market previously and when I applied for extra days that was for the public
wanting me to work the weekends mainly, Friday and Saturdays.
The Tuesday we got because they used to shut the market on a Monday, numerous occasions
when I bought my produce early hours of the morning they shut the market at four o 'clock
and I would get there at six o 'clock and the market would be shut for whatever reason,
which is fair enough, I understand, health and safety, but I lost a lot of money,
but I still carried on for 25 years I've been in Epping, so I applied for the extra days,
and this time last year, well July last year, the first year that I left,
gave me the extra three days plus the Monday market, which I had already,
which the people wanted, and then when I got home on Tuesday morning after being here
they've granted me the three days licence. Epping Town Council revoked my Monday licence
on my bad behaviour, they said. 15 years when Bill was the Toby there, I was the market inspector,
my wife, we had four fruit stalls there, we paid 600 pound a week rent in them days.
When I had four fruit stalls, I bought all the four fruit stalls out. The public wanted me there,
I became one big fruit stall one day a week. Extra days came due to the public demanding
extra, what they were demanding, asking for the extra days. When they revoked my licence,
I appealed obviously and said to them, why is my life being revoked on my bad behaviour?
I said, you know, a meeting, no meeting, no correspondence, no warning, no verbal on bad
behaviour. What does this mean? I do raise my hands, I do raise my voice, that is my personality,
but it's on my business, it's my main concern and the market's my main concern.
All them traders there are people I've known for years so I want the market to improve.
And me. Anyway, cut a long storey short, they revoked my licence so what can I do? So I
lost a fantastic business overnight but I got three extra days on the days you granted
me. So I've got to build it. My illness, I got ill, I had prostate cancer and my mental
helping down town so I didn't work as many days as I wanted to this year because of my
illness. Anyway, prior to that I thought I can't see my fruit store. Anyway, Epping
Town Council employed a security firm every Monday for 12 weeks to the
taxpayers money over £25 ,000 to stop me going on my pitch. I wouldn't have gone on my
pitch anyway. If I'd have wrote my licence I'd go round the legal ways to get it back.
And I just had four, it wasn't a matter if they were black or white, four black guys security
firm two cars on the market from one o 'clock in the morning till six in the morning to stop me
going on there. I thought it was a bit harsh, a bit harassment, a bit bullying. I've always had good
rapport with the market inspectors. The two are involved at the moment now, Beverly and
town officer and Joanne Lewis for some reason thought of disliking, maybe because it was busy
or whatever, I don't know, thought of disliking to me and then broke my licence. So getting extra
three days or I lost one against something else and then I've done the job the best I can this year
but being ill Marks and Spencer had a few problems with me because they've done the car parking shut
for 18 months they couldn't unload the back of their vehicles so they load it on my pitch every
morning and they used to say to them it's you're on my pitch you know what's happening they said
well what time do you start and they know the time I start so I get there the time I start they'll
be unloading so it's a bit of a hassle with marks and expenses. I can understand their point of view
they've got to unload and I've got a business to run. So I came to here and spoke to Peter
and we decided to have a few bumps off whilst it was being built over Christmas. So from December
the 15th until April I didn't work the pitch because I was situated now the market's open
but back again we're back to work and I'm hoping to get back my licence back again.
The objections they are saying, excuse me, there is not one proof of anything. I have
done anything. I have been in the market for over 45 years, I have never had those complaints
about my rubbish, I am tidy, the menorah was put up for the Jewish people, I shut my stall
to help accommodate them. I am here to help people and not object to people.
That's it, thank you very much.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:09:07
So you came to an agreement with Marks and Spencers in the end. There was no fisticuffs.Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:09:20
Thank you. I've just got a couple of questions. So you went down to three days a week. Doesthat mean you have a pitch elsewhere as well?
Public Speaker - 0:09:31
When I was younger I had a pitch but apart from that all I got is F .P. in the moment.Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:09:37
Did you ever have any issues elsewhere with the pitches? You get on fireman market traders and with the market inspectors and everything. Never had any issues?Public Speaker - 0:09:48
I'm there to do my job. I'm there to get a living. You don't want to have a goodproblem with the market. The other people will give you a licence to see that the last
person you were upset. It's my living, so why would I want to upset them? I've never
had the problem ever. Market tracing is always 12 years of age.
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:10:06
I'm doing these one at a time. You said you've been there 25 years. Was that on the MondayI wish you elsewhere further.
Public Speaker - 0:10:18
I bought all them four fruit stores, I bought one and I bought all three out and then Iwas there all them years I was there.
I've still been there on Monday now and then Epping Cancer, when they rewrote my licence,
the woman who worked for me, a median, a husband Al, he rang me up and said Steve Town Cancer
approached me to take your pitch.
I went Al, Town Cancer don't mean you, you don't have an application.
What's all that about?
They rung you.
Joanne Lewis rung you and said, can you take my picture?
And you work for me.
That's what you do to me.
Should we help them get my b**** back?
And then I started doing the legal action against them.
I knew I could have won the case.
But when I got prostate cancer, it might be more important
than working at the time.
But I'm better now.
I'm in recovery.
I'm in a good place in my head.
And I just want to give them a job.
Right, 20 ,000.
Oh, OK.
Cllr Lisa Morgan - 0:11:13
I have just got one more question. How do you get on with Marks and Spencers now?Public Speaker - 0:11:21
I have been there for so many years. The CEO came and saw me because I had a fantasticpitch there. I was affectionate, of course I am, but that is what trades all the power.
I was there when the co -op was there and I did not object when Marks and Spencers came
and said, well, what is that, Marks and Spencers coming, I have just done my job, they are
opposition as like our mayor opposition. So we had a few issues at first, it's all been resolved,
I do my job, they do their job, it's fine now, fine.
Thank you.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:11:49
Peter Jones - 0:11:59
Sorry, I would just like to sort of reaffirm what has been said. Within the agenda and the papersyou can see that we have received three complaints, as it were, indirectly from Marks and Spencers,
which relate to what Mr Raymond has inferred to. They have been given our details and since
this we have not received any direct comments, complaints from any parties. So hopefully
that helps you, sir.
Thank you.
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:12:27
Do you want to...Right, so if you'd like to go out and we'll deliberate.
8 Application to Renew Street Trading Consent - High Street, Epping
Cllr Steven Heather - 0:12:44
Right, Mr Raymond.This application has been treated on its own merits and this subcommittee has taken its
decision based upon the merits of the application and the relevant representations received.
During our deliberations in private session, our advisory officers gave us no following
advice. The decision of this subcommittee is that consent shall be granted and that's
That's it really.
Yeah, don't need to do that.
So congratulations.
Leave Marks and Spencers alone.
Be nice and wish you all the best.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Bye bye.
Thank you.
Right, there being no further business, I'll close this meeting at 10 .55ish.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
