Man licensed to flog it from drive
Butcouncillor hits outat `unsightly display’
A couple have been granted a street traders licence allowing them to sell their house contents from the driveway of their Bridge of Allan home.
David Berrie says he and wife Margaret are selling surplus belongings, including furniture and bric-a-brac, prior to putting their home at 11 Henderson Street on the market and “downsizing”.
Mr Berrie, former chair of Bridge of Allan Merchants Association spoke before Stirling Council’s planning and regulation panel yesterday (Tuesday) asking members to grant the licence.
Addressing the panel as an objector, Councillor Douglas Dodds said Mr Berrie’s driveway led to a designated cycle path which ran from Lecropt into Bridge of Allan and a recent road traffic survey had shown 46,607 vehicles passed the property every week almost 74 per cent of which were recorded as speeding.
He added: “Anyone wishing to buy would have to stop a vehicle in a cycle lane to view and purchase goods. This is in itself a breach of road traffic regulations.
“Bridge of Allan also attracts tourists. The last thing we wish visitors to see as they enter Bridge of Allan is an unsightly display of goods for sale in someone’s drive.”
Mr Berrie said there would be nothing out on the pavement or road, there were only around six cyclists a day, and while there would only be one or two cars at a time, he had a large car parking area for 10 cars.
“We have a large house and want to sell and downsize,” said Mr Berrie. “We have collected a lot of surplus content over the years and as soon as we get rid of it we will put the house up for sale.
“I previously operated this as a boot sale not knowing I needed a licence - my apologies - however there have been no issues with the road or anything else in this time.
“Councillor Dodds has made a big thing about danger from the road. We are not talking about 20 cars here. It’s one or two cars at a time. There has never been an incident.
“Lecropt Church is up the road and regularly advertises a boot sale and we just ask to be considered in the same way.
“My sale is about recycling. A lot of my customers are students. To say it might be objectionable to tourists is, in fact, the opposite. It is a draw, tourists like to stop and chat. They come from all over the world including America, where they would call this a yard sale.”
Mr Berrie said as chair of Bridge of Allan Merchants Association for many years he had been involved in numerous community improvements and events including personally digging a track for the Provost’s Lamp, putting up the Christmas lights and tree and being responsible for the original hanging baskets.
He added: “For all this, I think it’s [approval] not much to ask.”
Licensing officials said there was no specific policy for people selling goods on their drive, with each application was taken on its own merits, and confirmed that roads officials had not come back with any comments on the application.
Panel vice convener Councillor Chris Kane said while the principle of Mr Berrie’s own application did not worry him, he did have concerns about setting a precedent of granting a street traders licence if an applicant could then go on “to set up a burger van in their driveway”. He asked that any approval stipulate the goods to be sold would be second hand bric a brac and furniture from Mr Berrie’s own home.
Mr Berrie said he was happy with the condition, adding: “I’ve got enough stuff. I don’t want to buy any more. Hopefully within a year’s time we will have sold the house.”
The panel approved the application, with Councillor Alistair Berrill, who also had concerns about precedence, asking his dissent be recorded after he failed to find a seconder to refuse.
He said: “I don’t think people selling second hand furniture from a drive is fair and reasonable. It’s unfair to local residents.”