A long-serving ice cream vendor in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has been issued a council warning after a resident complained about his van's chimes being played in the evening. Mark Edwards, who has run his round for more than two decades without incident, has since agreed with local customers to use his horn instead of the chimes to signal his arrival.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council confirmed it received a complaint in June 2025 regarding music being played after 20:00 BST, and an investigation found the complaint to be valid. According to a later report from WalesOnline, the council sent Edwards a standard letter reminding him of the legal requirements before considering the matter closed.
What happened when Edwards received the complaint?
Edwards, who lives in Trebanog, said he was stunned to find a council letter left on his van's dashboard after operating without any complaints for over 20 years.
Twenty-odd years and I have never had anything like this at all. It's unbelievable.
He explained that his employer had warned him to stop operating chimes in the area, as continuing could result in a fine. Rather than stop serving the area altogether, Edwards devised an alternative approach with his regular customers.
I thought 'I'm not going to let one individual to spoil it for everybody else', so have come to an arrangement with my customers in the area.
They know roughly what time I'm there and I toot the horn in each street, and they all come out and enjoy it. They're not going to beat me.
What are the legal rules on ice cream van chimes?
The council stated that current law sets a 19:00 cut-off for the use of chimes by ice cream van operators, though this does not stop vendors from continuing to trade after that time using other methods, such as a horn.
According to the same WalesOnline report, the governing code of practice specifies that chimes should last no more than 12 seconds, be sounded only once as a van approaches a stopping point, and not be repeated within intervals shorter than two minutes.
How common are disputes like this elsewhere?
Noise complaints against ice cream van chimes are not unique to this case. A separate case reported by a national broadcaster's report described a council alleging that chimes were played almost every evening between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM, which it characterised as excessively loud and overly frequent.
In another instance, East Suffolk Council upheld a complaint after chimes were reportedly played for between 20 and 35 seconds while a van was stationary, according to a report from the Local Government Lawyer. That van was subsequently banned from operating on the street in question, as also noted by Metro.
The current chime-length allowance dates back to 2013, when the UK government revised regulations to permit ice cream vans to sound chimes for up to 12 seconds, an increase from the previous four-second limit, according to a national broadcaster's coverage at the time.
How has the local community reacted?
The dispute drew strong reactions from residents, many of whom defended Edwards. Amy Elwood, from Trebanog, said the complaint seemed unwarranted.
It's a bit silly to be honest, Mark is not harming anybody. I don't see what the problem is about.
Eleven-year-old Lexi, a regular customer, said she enjoys having the ice cream van visit during warm weather and felt the tradition should continue uninterrupted.
Its exciting, its nice to have ice cream in the hot weather.
She added that she believes the music should carry on in the evenings, noting it has been part of the community for years.
How has Edwards responded to the public attention?
Edwards said he was taken aback by how much attention the story generated on social media.
I knew I was pretty popular but I didn't think I was as popular as I am now - its just gone completely crazy.
He noted that the chimes only sound for a few seconds at a time and questioned whether the 19:00 restriction remains appropriate, describing it as outdated. He also raised concerns about the wider pressures facing small businesses like his.
With local businesses going down, the last thing we need is to go out of business.
It is a dying game as it is to be honest. There are less and less of us about.
The council reiterated that it is legally obligated to investigate noise complaints and enforce relevant regulations when violations are confirmed.
Key Facts
- Mark Edwards has operated his ice cream van in Tonyrefail for more than 20 years without prior complaints.
- Rhondda Cynon Taf Council upheld a complaint in June 2025 about chimes played after 20:00 BST.
- UK regulations limit chime use to 12 seconds, once per stop, with at least two minutes between uses.
- Edwards now uses his horn instead of chimes and coordinates informally with customers.
- Similar chime disputes have occurred elsewhere in the UK, including a street ban imposed by East Suffolk Council.
