Marie Amesbury, 46, claims she’s been harassed by rival ice cream sellers in Lyme Regis, Dorset
Police are investigating a suspected vendetta being waged against a new ice cream seller in a seaside town by rival traders.
Mother-of-two Marie Amesbury, 46, left her stressful life behind for a more serene existence selling treats from a vintage tricycle in picturesque Lyme Regis, Dorset.
But her presence on the promenade has allegedly enraged owners of other ice cream parlours in the town, furious that she has been granted a ‘peddlars licence’.
Ms Amesbury says she has been regularly sworn at, spat at twice and threatened with violence unless she gives up her business.
It escalated to the point that the single mother made a dossier of the alleged abuse and reported the matter to the police.
And she said that even though officers have actively begun investigating, the unseemly treatment towards her has not stopped.
There are around half a dozen ice cream businesses in Lyme Regis and Ms Amesbury said three of them are the main protagonists in the campaign.
‘They have been unbelievable in their response,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to name them as the police are involved.’
Her presence on the promenade has allegedly enraged owners of other ice cream parlours in the town, furious that she has been granted a ‘peddlars licence’
Ms Amesbury previously was a management consultant earning £45,000 per year but wanted a ‘change of lifestyle’ and moved to Lyme Regis, Dorset (pictured)
She is legally entitled to sell ice creams from her trike with a pedlar’s certificate and has a food hygiene rating of five stars.
Despite this she claimed other traders see her as a threat and one has even started a petition calling for a by-law to be introduced that would prevent unauthorised trading in the town.
In a post on social media she described a fellow ice cream seller approaching her, swearing and spitting at her. It said: ‘Sadly a local business owner turned up with some colourful language and narrowly missed me when they spat their mouthful of sputum towards me… and to think they work in the catering industry in our town.’
Ms Amesbury moved from Somerset with her two daughters, aged 10 and 17, and started her business at Easter in April.
She said she found a quiet spot by the beach in Lyme Regis where there were no other ice cream sellers.
Ms Amesbury believes the bitterness stems from the fact she paid just £12.25 for the licence which gives her the right to trade legally along the seafront.
‘What aggrieves them is I don’t have a fixed premises so I have no shop overheads and business rates to pay,’ she said.
‘But I am totally legal and am registered with HMRC, have five star food hygiene and public liability insurance.’
Ms Amesbury believes the bitterness stems from the fact she paid just £12.25 for the licence which gives her the right to trade legally along the seafront
She continued: ‘My licence allows me to travel around selling wares and was an ancient law used by tinkers and hawkers but also applies to ice cream.
‘It started off with business owners making themselves known that they were aggrieved but things escalated from there.
‘There is police involvement now after I was spat at intentionally, which has happened twice now.
‘I have been chased, harassed and photographed and threatened with violence. It is escalating.
‘I have kept in contact with the council, who are aware it is escalating. But they need to do more to make it very clear that what I am doing is lawful as some seem to be under the impression it is not.
‘It has been a worrying and stressful time. This is only a small community and I am worried about my safety if this is allowed to continue.’
Ice cream has been sold on a tricycle in Lyme Regis for more than a century and was a staple part of a visit to the British seaside decades ago.
Ms Amesbury previously was a management consultant earning £45,000 per year but wanted a ‘change of lifestyle’. Her new job produces just 97p profit per ice cream.
She has worked hard to recreate the ‘vintage’ feel in her business and offers a range of old favourites including cherry bombs, mango melbas and sprinkles and sauces.
Ms Amesbury says she has been regularly sworn at, spat at twice and threatened with violence unless she gives up her business
There are around half a dozen ice cream businesses in Lyme Regis and Ms Amesbury said three of them are the main protagonists in the campaign
She added: ‘They seem to be under the impression I am peddling an illicit substance but the only white stuff I peddle is vanilla ice cream.
‘It is such a disproportionate response. It is only ice cream, sprinkles and sauces yet I am being bullied horrendously over it.
‘Ice cream has been sold on a tricycle in Lyme Regis for more than a century. There are lovely old pictures of a young girl buying one on the seafront from a tricycle just like mine.
‘This is part of British seaside history and I am pleased to continue that in the modern day.
‘Everything now is so hyped up and so fast paced that I just think it is a nice piece of nostalgia that you can visit the seaside and buy ice cream from a tricycle.
‘I try to take it all back to the old day with cherry bombs, mango melba, sprinkles, sauces that sort of thing.
Marie previously was a management consultant earning £45,000 per year but wanted a ‘change of lifestyle’
‘I want to play and look the part from a vintage point of view as it facilitates so much happy energy.
‘I am not a whizz kid by any means. Anyone could have done this and bought a licence.’
‘But it can only be down to jealously. They could have got on a tricycle and done this. There is nothing stopping them.’
Ms Amesbury, who moved to the Lyme Regis from Somerset, started the business at Easter and said it was a place she had happy childhood memories of.
She said: ‘It was like a dream to go to the seaside and sell ice cream but I have been really astounded by he response from a vicious minority.
‘On the whole there has been an outpouring of support on facebook with most people here wishes me well.
‘I have loved getting fit, being outdoors and meeting lots of people who come to chat and enjoy my ice cream. It is just a real shame it has been tainted by a few jealous businessmen.
‘Ont of the perpetrators started a petition where he wants me to be outlawed and has gained some support from other businesses.
‘This would need to be a bylaw that goes all the way to the secretary of state. Just for little old me – one lone ice cream seller – that is how disproportionate this all is.
‘There have been two occasions when I have been spat at. One business owner who launched a barrage of abuse emptied his mouthful of bile at me. It was shameful behaviour from someone who works in the food and drink industry.’
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: ‘We are currently investigating reports of harassment against a woman in Lyme Regis. The allegations are said to have occurred between 7 April 2018 and 25 May 2018.’