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Herne Bay ice cream man banned from Seaview Holiday Park in Swalecliffe, Whitstable, in stand-off with security
05:00, 14 August 2024
updated: 12:26, 14 August 2024
Footage captures the moment an ice cream man banned from a holiday park was involved in a stand-off with security staff.
Salih Kadi, a Herne Bay resident of 24 years, says he felt “intimidated” after a van and tractor were used to block his access.
But bosses at Seaview Holiday Park in Swalecliffe, Whitstable, say Mr Kadi is not an authorised supplier and has been prohibited from selling his sweet frozen treats there.
The video recorded by the ice cream man shows him confronting workers at the seafront caravan site who he says arrived while he was serving children.
A white Citroen van, a New Holland tractor and another vehicle towing a trailer can be seen obstructing his route through the car park.
In the clip, Mr Kadi expresses his anger that this is forcing him to reverse out, which he says is “dangerous”.
“This is what I get for trying to earn money”, he says.
Bosses at Seaview, which is owned by Park Holidays, have since said that Mr Kadi was trespassing, having been banned two years ago for “aggressive behaviour” when being asked to leave.
But speaking to KentOnline after the car park row last Tuesday, the ice cream man said: “It was horrifying to be treated this way while I was serving kids.
“They were intimidating me. They turned up in a convoy.
“I don’t want anything like this to happen to anyone else.”
Mr Kadi refused to reverse his van after being asked by park security as he believed it was too dangerous for him to do so due to children being near the van.
He claims he asked staff to help him empty the road so he could leave but they declined.
The argument lasted for about an hour before Mr Kadi was able to safely leave the site.
“The new manager said they don’t want me here - I was gobsmacked by this,” said Mr Kadi.
“I’ve been going there for many years and the problem is only recent.
“I come to this site because it brings me memories from when I used to have a chalet here.
“I make more money elsewhere but I like to visit to give back to the kids who I’ve seen grow up.”
However, Seaview bosses have offered a different version of events.
A spokesman said: “In April 2022, Mr Kadi was asked by staff not to enter Seaview Holiday Park for the purposes of selling ice creams as he was not authorised by us as a supplier and was therefore trading unlawfully.
“His aggressive response to our team members making this request resulted in the local police filing a report of the incident.
“We subsequently wrote to Mr Kadi advising him that we were not prepared to tolerate our staff being exposed to such abusive behaviour, and that we wished him not to access the park in the future.
“When earlier this month Mr Kadi entered Seaview in defiance of our request, he was asked by our staff to leave. Once again, and despite providing no provocation, they were made subject to verbal abuse by him.
“In the best interests of our team members and holiday park guests, we have now asked Mr Kadi once more to observe our request for him not to enter the park.”
The spokesman added that the park has a close relationship with local businesses, including Kent Food Hubs, which holds a monthly market at Seaview, and Dunk Cookies of Whitstable.
Police have been contacted for comment.
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