Town centre hot dogs war
Hot dog wars have broken out in Telford after a chef set up a takeaway food stall in the heart of the town centre.
Council officials have banned Phil Holmes from his pitch near Spencer's Mall because he does not have a licence and was poaching trade from existing cafes.
But Mr Holmes, 40, insists he is simply trying to earn a living and says customers flock to him because he supplies the best grub in town.
He is now hoping to get up a petition to persuade Telford & Wrekin council members to grant him permission for the site at a meeting of the council's general purposes board on Tuesday .
Mr Holmes, of Avenue Road, Newport, has worked as a chef all over the country and in Switzerland, but moved into mobile catering because it made more money.
He already operates a popular food stall near Wellington Market, offering food made from top quality ingredients supplied by local firm Morgans Butchers.
Wanting to expand his business, he spotted what he thought was an ideal pitch between Spencer's Mall and Meeting Point House in Telford Town Centre.
"My wife was pregnant with our first child, she was giving up work and we needed to replace the lost income," he said.
Mr Holmes, who works seven days a week, initially got written permission from the council to site his trailer there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.
But he was outraged to hear last November that he could no longer operate because he did not have street trading consent and was close to three cafes.
Mr Holmes said: "I do well because of the quality of my ingredients and good service, and I'm not scared of the competition.
"The council should be anti-monopoly and in favour of free trade."
Tony Psara, of Tony's Diner in Spencer's Mall, said: "It's unfair competition. He was ideally placed to grab business from us yet we have got overheads to pay."
A report to Tuesday's meeting says Mr Holmes is unlikely to get consent because he is in breach of a rule banning sales within 50m of established commercial premises.
By Peter Johnson
