A BAP van has been banned from opening near a secondary school after the headteacher objected.

The bacon bap van would open up in a pub car park in Oldland Common on the eastern edge Bristol, a few hundred metres from Sir Bernard Lovell Academy.

Molly’s Baps would have sold bacon baps, burgers and hot dogs in the car park of the Crown and Horseshoe pub on North Street. But South Gloucestershire Council has refused to grant a street trading consent, after fears that teenagers would buy unhealthy food there.

A licensing hearing on Wednesday, July 31, also heard that neighbours living next to the pub were worried about noise and smells from the van.

The application was to open from 7am and close on 10pm Monday to Thursday, 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 8pm on Sundays.

Dr Robin Bassford, the headteacher, said: “We work incredibly hard at Sir Bernard Lovell Academy to develop a healthy approach to eating. We teach children about how to eat healthy, how to look after themselves. Our canteen at schools runs on very strict regulations about the food that they can serve to young people during the school day.

“We have a breakfast offer before the school day, as well as at lunchtime. Our canteen does a great job. If this fast food trailer goes ahead, all of that work will be undermined.

"No matter what education we put in place, if you put a sweet shop or a fast food trailer a stone’s throw down from the school gates, children will buy food there.

“They’ll buy food before school and after school. Children are going to be much less inclined to buy food in our canteen before school, if they can buy a bacon bap.”

There was some confusion about what the burger van would be used for. The applicants said they were aiming to provide food for the pub’s customers, to eat inside the pub, and raise some money for plans to install a kitchen in the building.

Paul Jouxson, the father of the applicant Molly, said: “The burger van is just to start off so we can raise some funds. At the end of the day we’re trying to put a kitchen in the pub, we’re not really looking to make a takeaway service.

"We’re not interested in serving the schoolkids, it’s more about serving food in the pub.

“A lot of people come in and ask if we serve food. We want to attract adults in, we’re not looking for children — I don’t think children would use it that much anyway.

"We’re trying to generate custom inside the pub, to bring people in, have a pint and a light meal, burger and chips, stuff like that. There’s not many pubs in Warmley that serve food.

“We put the wrong hours down from the start. We’re very flexible on that. We’re just trying to provide Molly with some work and make some money. My daughter filled out the form herself and just put down what the maximum hours were. We’ll probably do 10am until 3pm.”

Several members of the public objected to the licensing application, and told councillors at the licensing hearing about their concerns. These included more general complaints about the Crown and Horseshoe.

Alderman Colin Cradock said: “Last Saturday the noise levels generated outside and inside the pub, up to 11pm, were horrendous, including live music, children running up and down the concrete steps, and loud voices. This occasion was not unusual, just the worst example to date. This situation can only be exacerbated by the addition of an external food outlet.”

David Levy added: “This public house isn’t a good neighbour. We have a lot of noise and it attracts a clientele which is not the most salubrious. I hear everyday Saturday night what goes on, and it’s verbal abuse, it’s not very pleasant at all.”

The pub changed hands six months ago.

She is planning to install a kitchen inside the building, and income from the burger van would help raise funds to do so.

Hollie Williams, the pub landlady, said: “I’m trying to rebuild the Crown and Horsehoe’s reputation. The pub has obviously had a very bad reputation over the last many years and has lost a massive amount of trade. It’s not doing as great as what it would have done when one of the original landlords was there.

“All I’m trying to do now, over the next five years and longer, is rebuild this pub. The pub has been here longer than the majority of houses opposite and surrounding. If you don’t like the pub and think it’s an eyesore, you shouldn’t have moved next to a pub.

“We’re trying to take the pub in a different direction, we want to have families in, we want to do big events, and bring food in. We want to make it a really lovely place to be, to have family over, to have a drink.”

Another concern was the name of the catering van, which some neighbours thought was too lewd. Yvonne Phillips said: “The schoolchildren will be highly delighted with the name of the burger van. My neighbour next door to me objects to the name. ‘Molly’s Baps’ is most unsuitable, she thinks.”