Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand

Hagar · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:07

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075

"A five-year-old girl was fined £150 by a council for selling 50p cups of lemonade to festival goers.

The girl's father Andre Spicer said his daughter had set up the stall in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival at the weekend.

Mr Spicer said his daughter burst into tears and told him "I've done a bad thing".

Tower Hamlets Council has since cancelled the fine and apologised."

This is what is wrong with life today.

Probably contravening dozens of bylaws. Health and food safety law. Employment regulations. Obstructing right of way.

Or just being nice and entrepreneurial for a bit of pocket money.

A few years or maybe a decade or two ago, no one would have lifted an eyebrow. Loss of innocence?

HEADRAT · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:09

Just a lack of common sense by the enforcement officers, they should have just smiled at her and bought some lemonade

dowie · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:10

lack of common sense by the enforcement officers

on the other hand hopefully some dodgy unofficial market traders don't start taking their kids along when they set up their unlicensed table to try and sell bootleg DVDs etc.. after seeing this

Marky · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:13

Sounds like they had some sort of power trip and common sense just went out the window.

I hope the council talk to them about it - What a ridiculous situation...

Ayahuasca · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:13

In reality the fathers idea, sets it all up, has his daughter standing there selling to gain more custom.

Still absolutely stupid to issue a fine though.

Andy90 · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:17

Not just a total lack of sense, but an complete lack of understanding that children under 10 are under the age of criminal responsibility. She may have been committing 'an offence' but she cannot be prosecuted for it.

Poor child was probably distraught.

glenimp617 · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:18

why is it called common sense?

StriderX · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:20

Honestly... what is it with council workers and councils, ******* scum.

Andy90 · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:20

TheOracle said:
why is it called common sense?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_sense

Ree · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:22

bloody jobsworth.. unreal

Diddums · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:23

sounds like the council workers need a good slap tbh.

Sliver · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:24

What an absolute disgrace. Theses councillors should be ashamed of themselves. A little girl selling lemonade and they charge her with a fine. Disgusting. I'm not generally a violent person but morons like these councillors make me want to punch them in the face. Idiots. Some people in this world should not be in positions of power.

godinman · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:27

The name on the ticket is the father's name, so the article title is a lie. Still stupid however.

VincentHanna · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:30

Sliver said:
What an absolute disgrace. Theses councillors should be ashamed of themselves. A little girl selling lemonade and they charge her with a fine. Disgusting. I'm not generally a violent person but morons like these councillors make me want to punch them in the face. Idiots. Some people in this world should not be in positions of power.

It is stupid, but it's not a 'Councillor' who has done this, in fact it sounds like somebody at the council probably thinks the same as all of us - What a stupid thing to do:

Tower Hamlets Council has since cancelled the fine and apologized

It's clearly some stupid enforcement officer.

meths · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:30

Ayahuasca said:
In reality the fathers idea, sets it all up, has his daughter standing there selling to gain more custom.

Still absolutely stupid to issue a fine though.

That's a cynical view of things you have there.

It probably was the father's idea but I'd guess it would be from the point of view of being a fun thing for him to do with his little girl rather than trying to make his fortune while exploiting child labour.

Sliver · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:32

VincentHanna said:
It is stupid, but it's not a 'Councillor' who has done this, in fact it sounds like somebody at the council probably thinks the same as all of us - What a stupid thing to do:

Well in the OP's opening post he does say that the council fined the girl. So therefore surely a councillor dished out the fine right?

peterwalkley · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:33

"I want to grow up to be a council enforcement officer" said no child ever.

Dan103 · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:34

just read this and is ridiculous. They're a 5 year old child for crying out loud. it was a father daughter project not a money making scheme.

If she is there for the next few weeks i take it back.

gettothechopper · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:37

Disgusting

I bet she doesnt pay min wage or any corporation tax either, offshoring her profits as well do doubt

scum!

#Chri5# · 21 Jul 2017 at 12:37

Sliver said:
Well in the OP's opening post he does say that the council fined the girl. So therefore surely a councillor dished out the fine right?

An elected councillor isn't going to be deciding who gets fined for things like that. The enforcement officers will probably issue the fine paperwork and somebody in a backoffice somewhere will process it.