A Haslemere pizza van owner’s bid to trade in Milford has been turned down amid concerns about traffic and residents’ complaints.

The Vaporetto pizza van had previously been open for business in Cherry Tree Road – but the situation there was described as “like a war” with residents.

Waverley Borough Council’s licensing committee heard from Vaporetto owner James Boyd, from Haslemere, that he did not want the previous “untenable” situation to have any bearing on the new proposed location.

The application was for the van to be parked in Portsmouth Road, Milford, between Tesco Express and the halal butcher, on Thursdays from 3.30pm to 9pm and Saturdays from midday to 9pm.

In June 2021, Mr Boyd began to trade from Milford Heath Road after an application for a licence on the site at Cherry Tree Road, where he was already trading, was not granted.

Four residents had submitted objections to Vaporetto Ltd’s latest plans for Portsmouth Road, but the meeting on Monday, August 8 heard there had been issues with an online form to submit views.

Independent Milford ward councillor Maxine Gale said she had been contacted directly by some “very concerned residents” from around 20 homes who raised concerns about smoke and food smells from the truck, inconsiderate parking from customers and people “using front gardens as public conveniences”.

She also raised concerns about sight lines along Portsmouth Road, and people queuing along the pavement blocking the pavement for buggies and mobility scooters.

Mr Boyd said he thought it was “unfair and unjust” to assume that what had happened at Cherry Tree Road would automatically happen again at the proposed new location.

He said the business had thousands of local customers who would “no doubt” be in favour of the van being in the Portsmouth Road location.

Meeting chair Councillor Jerome Davidson (Liberal Democrat, Hindhead) said the committee would not grant the licence, primarily because of the “undue interference” to others using the street including vehicles using the Tesco car park and approaching the roundabout, and concerns about the narrow pavement.

He added: “We have a lot of sympathy for what you’re trying to do, and we wish that you will find a successful site elsewhere which will be less of an interference to others.”