Council departments object to BAKKA knitwear van application
A MOBILE knitwear van which was at the centre of a contentious council struggle is set to come under scrutiny once again.
Two Shetland Islands Council (SIC) departments have objected to knitwear producer BAKKA getting a renewed licence to sell goods from two sites in Lerwick.
Owner Mary Macgregor was granted a street trader licence on appeal in early 2020, following a lengthy and heated tussle between herself and the SIC.
The council had initially refused her application, on the grounds that she would be selling goods of the “same or similar class and description” as shops on the street within 50 metres of her.
Eventually, however, Macgregor was allowed to sell from the BAKKA van at sites in Charlotte Place and Burns Walk in Lerwick after taking the matter to appeal at court.
But the SIC’s environmental health and planning departments have now objected to Macgregor’s application to renew her street traders licence – again on grounds that her goods are too similar to nearby established shops.
The Burns Walk site is within 50 metres of the Eldamato wool shop, the Peerie Shop and Burns Lane Clothing – all of which sell knitwear – environmental health has said.
And the Charlotte Place site is close to Harry’s Department Store, which “on occasion sell knitwear”.
Environmental health also alleged that Macgregor had been selling knitwear from the BAKKA van more than her licence allowed.
It said she must not trade from any site for more than 28 days per calendar year without permission from the planning authority.
However, it alleged the BAKKA van had traded from Burns Walk 42 times in 2023 and a further 50 times in 2024.
The planning department has also objected to BAKKA’s application for renewal, saying that she would require planning permission to trade from the sites given the information provided.
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“From our records the planning authority has no record of planning permission being granted for this development,” it said.
“As such, the planning authority objects to this license application until the relevant planning consents are in place.”
The roads department offered no objections to the application.
Shetland Islands Council’s licensing committee will discuss the BAKKA application renewal at its meeting on Monday at 10.30am.
In 2020, Macgregor disputed the view that BAKKA’s goods were of the “same or similar class and description” to goods in nearby shops.
She said her Fair Isle work was unlike other products being sold on the street.
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