Pay attention Mr Whippy

mr whippy vanThe English Code of Practice on ‘Noise from Ice-cream vans chimes’ of 1982 states that it is illegal to sound ice-cream van chimes ‘so as to cause annoyance’.

Chimes must not be…

  • sounded for any longer than four seconds at a time;
  • used more than once every three minutes;
  • used near other ice-cream vans which are trading nearby
  • sounded when stationary;
  • sounded within 50 metres of a school, places of worship or hospital;
  • used more than once every two hours in the same street;

So every time you hear an ice cream van near you, just listen to the chime and wonder if it passes the above chime test!