An ice cream man has been hit with a noise complaint after just one person protested against the van’s music.
Mark Edwards, who spent more than two decades serving customers in South Wales without a single grievance, discovered a council letter left on his dashboard.
The local resident complained that the van’s music was being played in the village of Tonyrefail during evening hours.
Reacting to the complaint, he said: “Twenty-odd years and I have never had anything like this at all. It’s unbelievable.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council confirmed it had received the complaint in June, alleging that chimes were being sounded after 8pm.
Following an investigation, the authority deemed the complaint valid.
His employer had advised him to cease operating in the area entirely, warning that any further use of the chimes could result in a fine.
However, rather than abandon his round, Mr Edwards now sounds his horn as he passes through each street.
He told the BBC: “I thought ‘I’m not going to let one individual to spoil it for everybody else’, so have come to an arrangement with my customers in the area.”
Mr Edwards added: “They know roughly what time I’m there and I toot the horn in each street, and they all come out and enjoy it. They’re not going to beat me.”
Residents have rallied behind the ice cream man since the story emerged.
Amy Elwood, also from Trebanog, dismissed the complaint as unnecessary.
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She said: “It’s a bit silly to be honest, Mark is not harming anybody. I don’t see what the problem is about.”
Speaking about the online support, Mr Edwards said: “I knew I was pretty popular but I didn’t think I was as popular as I am now – it’s just gone completely crazy.”
Under existing regulations, ice cream van operators are prohibited from sounding their chimes after 7pm, though the council stressed this does not bar them from continuing to trade beyond that hour.
Mr Edwards argued the rule is “outdated” and ought to be reconsidered, noting that his chimes only rang for a matter of seconds each time.
He added: “With local businesses going down, the last thing we need is to go out of business. It is a dying game as it is to be honest. There are less and less of us about.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf council said it was legally obligated both to investigate noise complaints and to enforce the relevant rules, and told the BBC it regarded the matter as closed.
The chime of an ice cream van playing classic folk or nursery tunes is a deeply ingrained part of British summer culture.
GB News has reached out to the council for further comment.
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