Girl, 5, fined £150 for lemonade stand

[Torto]

Seriously, what's going on in the mother land?

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

Mr Spicer said his daughter loved the idea of setting up a stall near their home.
"She just wanted to put a smile on people's faces. She was really proud of herself," he said.
"But after a small time trading, four enforcement officers walked over from the other side of the road.
"I was quite shocked. I thought that they would just tell us to pack up and go home.
"But they turned on their mobile camera and began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading licence.
"My daughter clung to me screaming 'daddy, daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.

Yes they eventually cancelled the fine, but that's irrelevant. The whole incident is absurd and cruel.

[Wyrt]

Wait, I thought people in the UK didn't know what lemonade was and they called things like Sprite lemonade.

[StayTuned]

Shiiiet

"My daughter clung to me screaming 'daddy, daddy, I've done a bad thing.' She's five.

This got me. This is both hilarious and sad at the same time.

[tikcol]

I doubt she sold enough lemonade to pay the fine

[Allatar]

Unfortunately we have a lot of people like these enforcement officers in the UK who get jobs with a little bit of authority and it turns off their common sense. They were probably out to stop proper rogue traders selling fake and dodgy shit to people going to the festival but that in no way justifies what they did to that poor girl.

[Deleted]

it really sucks but in todays world as a parent you really should check up on the rules for stuff like this. It's retarded that you have to do this, but you should.

I wonder if she gave away free lemonade and had a donation jar, if that would technically be allowed.

[primalmatter]

I don't know... its never to early to teach a child the government is out to fuck them. Clamps down on communism.

[Deleted]

Tower Hamlets is a notoriously corrupt borough. No suprise the council are wankers.

[Deleted]

Tower Hamlets is a notoriously corrupt borough. No suprise the council are wankers.

Except when the council found out they cancelled the fine, apologised and criticised the staff that issued it.

[glowzone]

Wouldn't want the kid to learn things like kindness and being productive.
Back to staring at your iphone you go!

[Deleted]

You literally cut and pasted the parts that fit your narrative.
The dad was there as well, they were both fined.
The dad should have known better that this was against the law.
Nobody would have had an issue if they just sat there and gave away their lemonade and then the dad can pay his daughter 50pc out of his own pocket every time she ''sells'' something.
There you go, you still have the fun game, you teach the daughter something about working for money and yet you don't break the law.

[Kapadons]

To be fair, if you wanna stop every jackass from peddling bullshit on the street, you make this rule.

And while the 5 year old is undoubtedly adorable, proper application of the rule seems to have been done. Now your boss comes behind you and says "well, she gets to break the rule because she is 5 and cute" I understand where the council was coming from on saying it, but it does seem odd when you think about it. She should have went the "donation" route. Free lemonade and you can give a "donation" if you care to.

[Deleted]

Was the officer Judge Dredd or something?

[Deleted]

It's kinda silly they didn't let them go with a warning, but I get why the rules are there.

[un_known]

Wait, I thought people in the UK didn't know what lemonade was and they called things like Sprite lemonade.

Sprite is discount lemonade, a minuscule shade of what lemonade is. I refuse to call crap like that lemonade XD

[Rotted]

I remember a fair few years ago someone posted this exact same story just to a different girl (duh)

Frankly, I find it disgusting. My uncle works in trade, strictly speaking hes in the agriculture side of it, so if cows don't have correct ID he authorises the taking of them and slaughter, but he has enough authority to hop departments for the day.

He's come across a fair few kids selling lemonade, all he does is ask them to go get mum or dad, they come out and he he goes ' look, strictly speaking she's not allowed to, I don't personally care it's just for you to be aware, tomorrow a different guy is going to be around this area'

Usually, they are pretty decent here and turn a blind eye.

[Medusa Cascade]

Obey the law!!

[Najnaj]

That is a report so filled with half truths, emotional accounts and interpretations that it is laughable. For starters, you can not fine a 5 year old for anything...

Sad to see the BBC printing this kind of nonsense.

[Wezmon]

Sprite is discount lemonade, a minuscule shade of what lemonade is. I refuse to call crap like that lemonade XD

It's not lemonade, its lemon and lime, same as 7up

[Deleted]

Good, they are teaching the young that we should keep government to a minimum.