It's either 10p entry fee or £1,000 fine for food truck

A POP-UP Thai food truck could face a £1,000 fine if you don’t pay 10p before walking up to it - thanks to a bizarre row with the local council.

- JOHN WIMPERIS Local democracy journalist

Cheddar-based Thai by Tai has become a popular presence in various pub car parks around Somerset, with Tai Ketwong and Peter Swingler serving up authentic Thai street food. But when they go to pubs in North Somerset, you will find them in a cordoned off part of the car park charging a 10p entrance fee before you can walk up to the van.

If you've not got change, don’t worry. There's a pot of 10p pieces to help yourself to right next to the pot you've got to put them in to pay. It may seem an odd rule - but the small business faces being fined £1,000 by North Somerset Council for each person who buys food without paying the 10p entrance fee.

This month, when the van was in Nailsea, Mr Swingler said licensing officers from North Somerset Council had watched them for an hour and threatened to fine them £8,000 as they said eight people had ordered food without paying the 10p. Now Ms Ketwong and Mr Swingler are sporting aprons reading: “Tai says: ‘Have you paid your 10p?’”