A mobile coffee shop owner has sparked a council row after being told she must pay fees despite the mistake being made by a local authority.
The shop owner in Cheltenham must pay more than £3,000 in street licensing fees despite the local council's failure to collect payments for an entire year.
The council said this issue was due to an administrative error.
Tanya Baxter, who operates Tan's Coffee Box from a converted horse box on St Luke's Road, discovered the council's mistake when she reapplied for her licence in June.
A mobile coffee shop owner has sparked a council row after being told she must pay fees despite the local authority's mistake
Officers at Cheltenham Borough Council realised they had not been collecting her fees for the previous 12 months.
Whilst the council waived the unpaid fees from the past year, they insisted Baxter must pay £3,298.32 for the upcoming trading year.
The council's error affected a small independent business that serves the local community, particularly patients from nearby Cheltenham General Hospital.
More than 300 people signed a petition requesting that the fees continue to be waived.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Tanya Baxter launched an appeal on her Instagram
At the licensing committee meeting, Hollie Wakefield represented Baxter and highlighted the strong community support.
She told the committee: "We've received dozens of heartfelt letters."
Some of the letters were read during the proceedings.
The committee heard how the cafe operates from a converted horse box and has become an important fixture for the Saint Luke's area, with many regular customers relying on the service.
Tan's Coffee Box is made from a converted horse box on St Luke's Road
Despite the community support, the licensing committee voted unanimously to reject the request to waive the forthcoming fees.
The council's solicitor explained the committee's position: "The reasons being the subcommittee thinks the business is a wonderful addition to the Saint Luke's community and does a great job, as do other businesses."
They added: "That does not give rise to an exemption. There is no evidence before the committee and following questions asked of the applicant this evening, that any exemption should be given."
The decision means Baxter must pay the full annual fee despite the council's previous collection failure.
Most Read
