London street food market fined £25,000 and banned from selling alcohol

One of the biggest street food markets in London has been banned from selling alcohol and fined £25,000 after breaching its licence and reportedly disrupting neighbours.

Pump Shoreditch, which has 11 food stalls and a bar, was opened in May 2014 in a former Texaco petrol station by Robert Newmark for owner La Brea. However, Thames magistrates court has ruled that it does not have the correct licence to sell alcohol, despite it selling up to £5,000 worth of drinks per day.

Newmark had tried and failed twice to get the licence changed and launched the site anyway, according to local newspaper the http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/crime-court/shoreditch_pop_up_the_pump_must_stop_selling_booze_and_late_night_food_1_4439584" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Hackney Gazette.Customers to the site were also said to be causing disruption to local residents.

The former petrol station shop did have a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off-premises, but customers were buying drinks and then consuming them in the courtyard.

District judge Angus Hamilton said: "[Pump Shoreditch] has demonstrated contempt for the laws and regulations that govern the transformation of a petrol station and minimarket into a bar and eating place, selling up to £5,000 worth of alcohol a day."

Councillor Sophie Linden, Hackney's deputy mayor, said: "Residents living near the Pump and Boneyard had been subjected to months of noise and anti-social behaviour that was having a very real effect on their lives. We are pleased that the judge dismissed the appeal and upheld the decision to take away the venue's licence."

Street food is a growing market in London and across the UK, with a range of new sites set to open in the next few months, including projects by the London Union from Henry Dimbleby and Jonathan Downey, who have raised almost £4m via crowdfunding.

London Union street food collective launches £3.5m crowdfunding bid >>

*Are you looking for a new role? See all the current hospitality vacancies available with The Caterer* Jobs >>

Latest video from The Caterer