New Forest's mobile cafes plan branded 'unbelievable'

Mobile cafes in New Forest car parks will hit local businesses and could lead to visitors being injured by animals, critics have claimed

Forestry England has licenced vendors to offer hot drinks, pastries and cakes in five locations in the national park.

Hotelier Alison Wilson said the move was "unbelievable" while New Forest commoners have warned against the "commercialisation" of the forest.

Forestry England said the sites chosen were "robust".

Ice cream vans have been a familiar site at 13 car parks in the New Forest, but Forestry England said it wanted a "higher quality offer" for visitors at Bolton's Bench, Blackwater, Wilverley, Bolderwood and Dibden.

It has awarded two-year licences for providers to sell "high quality barista coffees", "locally made or sustainably sourced fresh high-quality pastries and cakes" as well as "vegan or plant based alternatives".

Critics have argued it would attract livestock towards the car parks - potentially endangering visitors - as well as taking business away from existing food and drink outlets in villages.

Alison Wilson, co-owner of Balmer Lawn Hotel, near Brockenhurst, said: "It's unbelievable that Forestry England has issued licences for mobile cafes.

"It goes against all the principles of the forest wildlife code and could put the public in danger, as well as negatively impact the businesses currently paying rates to operate within the New Forest, creating local job opportunities.

"It will add pressure on limited parking areas and adversely affect local business, many of which are already struggling to survive under cost-of-living pressures".

Andrew Parry-Norton of the Commoners Defence Association warned ponies and cattle could be attracted to the "easy food sources".

"There is a real risk of interaction between livestock and visitors - and a serious risk of injuries. If there is a problem, it's the commoner who is responsible and put at financial risk.

"The forest is for everyone, that's so important, but there are limits to how we should commercialise it."

Ponies, pigs, cattle and donkeys, owned by the New Forest's commoners, are allowed to roam freely on the open forest under ancient rights tied to their properties and administered by the Verderers.

In a statement Forestry England said: "The refreshment sales are located at robust areas of the forest that already attract visitors and have sufficient facilities including numbers of parking spaces.

"The sellers are very much ambassadors for the forest - using limited packaging, litter picking the areas and helping to spread awareness of the New Forest Code with their customers including not petting or feeding ponies."

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