Is it right to sell ice cream from a van during the coronavirus scare?

The hot topic is perfectly illustrated on the Isle of Sheppey where two traders have adopted very different tactics.

Scroll down to bottom to vote

One has self-isolated and taken himself off the road. The other has turned himself into a mobile takeaway, delivering milk and bread and other essentials.

An ice cream van was also spotted doing the rounds in Sittingbourne playing his chimes which attracted plenty of comments on social media.

Charles Panther who trades as Rossi Charlie said: "Myself and many other ice cream vans across the country are parked up to help the government campaign to keep the public safe from the coronavirus."

But he admitted: "I was in two minds as what to do because we have no financial help from the government and still have bills to pay. It is a worry to everyone at this time."

But Paul Cambridge, who trades as King Whippy and also Fank's Super Whip, has turned his van into a mobile shop and is making home deliveries selling bread, milk, eggs, sugar and toilet rolls (at 50p each).

He said: "We are all living in a very sad time with the country on lockdown and everybody having to stay indoors, with a certain few exceptions. I understand how difficult this must be for families with small children.

"My business, however, is exempt from government restrictions.

"I have spoken at length with a few different individuals, including my solicitor, and they have advised me I can carry out my business as long as it is helping others and totally safe for me as well."

He says he is limiting himself to four deliveries an hour between 2pm and 10pm to avoid congestion and is only accepting cashless card payments with a minimum £10 per order. There are no cones, only trays and tubs.

Orders are left outside front doors and delivery boxes are sprayed with antibacterial disinfectant after every drop.

Mr Cambridge added: "We will definitely not be serving anybody who arrives at our van and its serving window."

But his determined stand has split the community.

Swale Conservative councillor Cllr James Hunt (Con, The Meads) led the anti-ice cream debate.

He warned: "It is better to all still be alive to hear those chimes once again than for friends and family to never be able to hear them again."

He said: "With the warmer weather coming we all love an ice cream but I know there has been a lot of concern with ice cream vans still operating during the lockdown.

"Swale council has confirmed ice cream van traders can still operate. But I feel more can be done to stop them and I have asked the council do more to protect residents.

"While I understand some traders will still want to continue...in my view, it is difficult to keep control of social distancing measures when children are all running up to get their ice creams.

"It is hard on those children who are unable to leave their houses when they hear the chimes and hard on the parents when they have to say no. There is also no way to guarantee that the coronavirus isn't kept away by continuous cleaning of the van and equipment.

"I would urge any ice cream traders to please not continue. I am aware that some traders have already made this decision as they know themselves it is difficult to put the measures needed in place. This surely must be the same for all?"

But Cllr Lee McCall (Ind, Sheerness) caused a storm by posting a photo of himself on social media with an ice cream cone.

He wrote: "I’m very surprised by some councillor's comments regarding the ice cream vendors. Surely we should be pulling together and supporting local businesses not shooting them down for trying to make a living?

"They are not breaking any of the regulations by trading.I think Cllr Hunt needs to get a grip of the situation.

"We don’t have many vices left at the minute and I do enjoy the occasional ice cream. Why he is going above and beyond to put people out of business that are obviously self-employed and desperately need the income is beyond me?

"The ice cream man I saw today was wearing gloves, a mask and an apron. He also regularly cleans the vehicle inside with spray and wipes.

"I was happy with my ice cream. If we are sensible and keep our distance to 2m while queuing then I really don’t see a problem. Until the country is put on full lockdown I hope they continue and I will support them until I’m legally not allowed to."

Cllr Cameron Beart (Con, Queenborough and Halfway) accused Cllr McCall's post "encouraging people to break rules" was "not just unprofessional but totally irresponsible."

Ice cream man Tony Cooper of Sittingbourne has mothballed his van. He said: "My season but because of coronavirus I refuse to go out to work and put children's, elderly and not forgetting the general public's lives at risk. So we are staying home and the ice-cream van is staying parked up.

"I know the council has said I can work but health is more important to us than wealth."

In a Sheppey Facebook poll, 174 people said ice cream vans should stay off the road and 41 said they could carry on because they added a "bit of normality." Here's your chance to take our own poll.

Read more: Stories from the Isle of Sheppey here

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.