“Illegal” Chelsea FC scarf sellers stealing 40 per cent of trade from licensed stalls

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

“Illegal scarf sellers” have been lining up outside Stamford Bridge stadium charging football fans huge rates for fake clothing.

Unlicensed salesmen have been charging tourists and fans up to £30 for half-and-half scarves with misspelt team names on them and trademarked logos, Trading Standards said.

The sellers have also caused an outcry among licensed sellers, some of which pay £1,000 a year for their stalls next to Chelsea’s stadium gates.

They have complained about how their livelihoods are being threatened by sellers undercutting them.

Some of the licensed traders, who make up to £7,500 selling merchandise in just three hours on match days, claim they’ve even been shouted at and targeted by unlicensed sellers.

To try and tackle the problem, Hammersmith and Fulham council, with financial support from Chelsea FC, hold patrols to try and catch the culprits.

One unlicensed trader was in October fined £14,000 for selling scarves outside Stamford Bridge and for other offences at other spots.

The traders often travel in from Wales or Essex for big London match days. Another trader was asked to pay more than £2,300 for selling scarves outside Craven Cottage and Stamford Bridge.

Hammersmith and Fulham Trading Standards Officer Doug Love, and a team of officers close to the stadium were on patrol two hours before Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Manchester City on Thursday.

When asked why the issue was so important, Doug said: “The selling undercuts the licensed holders as well as the football club. The scarves are often of poor quality.”

Despite their best efforts, and trading officers switching hats and hiding next to bins, they were spotted by one of the seller’s lookouts.

According to Doug, traders work in teams to alert them when council officers are near.

Several fans wearing half-and-half scarves that looked fake were spotted and the officers knew something was up ahead.

A call came through to explain that six sellers had positioned themselves on the route down to the stadium. The officers soon uncovered a regular offender.

Quickly other sellers scampered away further up the road and, after a quick spat and several unpleasantries, the trader and his bag were taken aside by the Met.

One licensed trader, who did not want to be named in case he was targeted by the scarf sellers, said: “It dampens my livelihood. I would probably make a quarter more than I do. They just get away with it”

Another trader, who did not want to be named for the same reason, added: “They stand in front of you. There are 15 of them in a row as the game ends.

“It impacts trade massively. I lose probably 40 per cent. They use the middle of the road as a stall.”

Following the sweep, Doug added: “I am pleased that we have been successful in restricting the number of sellers operating on the LBHF side, in front of the licensed stall holders, but it’s definitely at the ‘whack-a-mole’ end of the offending I deal with.

“There will always be another seller popping up somewhere, even if you are successful in deterring a few.”