Inverness caterer battles to save her business after being served with Highland Council enforcement notice
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The operator of a catering van in Inverness has been told to remove it from a residential area.
Anne Marie Fraser, who began operating her Ness Side Catering van on private land belonging to Drumblair Stores in Dores Road, Inverness, last October, has been served with the notice by Highland Council which says she requires planning permission for her business.
In November, local resident Carole Wells contacted the council’s planning department complaining about “illegal parking” by customers which she said was causing an obstruction.
She also raised concerns about pollution caused by additional traffic, and littering.
The letter requested the van be relocated.
In a more recent email to planners, she said: “The situation has not changed: our issues and concerns are set out in the attached letter which was sent to [head of planning] Malcolm Macleod previously.
“We are continuing to experience worries for our safety owing to the parking of cars and we maintain our view that this isn’t a suitable place for a mobile catering unit for all the reasons in the letter.
“We continue to hope that the van will be relocated to a suitable venue.”
Ms Fraser, said she had consulted with planners prior to siting the catering trailer and was told at the time they were “unsure” whether a planning application was needed.
She is now appealing the council notice, arguing that her business has had a positive impact in the area.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from the local community since we opened and also from the shop owners, who have seen a growth in sales which had decreased after the opening of Tesco nearby,” she said.
“It’s true that when we first opened there were several cars stopping by.
“We immediately discouraged our customers from parking at the junction in front of or to the side of the trailer, suggesting they move their vehicle to a safer area.
“However, the volume of traffic has recently increased also due to the closure of the Hilton Post Office in November last year, as well as the start of a building site across the road.
“I really don’t know what we’d do if we had to close. I would like to find another place in this area that would suit everyone — there aren’t many alternatives for food nearby and we’d still like to be part of the community.
“What I would like now is really to find a solution that would suit everyone. I am open to any suggestions.”
The owners of Drumblair Stores confirmed to planners that they fully support ed Ness Side Catering’s presence on their land.
They added: “The siting of the trailer on our land has shown an increase in business following a downturn after the Tesco store was built nearby.
“We are two small, local, independent businesses supporting each other. Many of our customers are local residents and have no objection to the trailer being there – and many use it on a daily basis.”
A Highland Council spokesman said Ms Fraser’s appeal against the enforcement notice would be considered by planners in due course.
