Kebab vans face clampdown

8:55am Thursday 22nd February 2007

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Kebab van owners claim Oxford City Council is attempting to drive them out of business amid a fresh clampdown on opening hours.

Inspectors have told the kebab vans to shut up shop by 3am - before many people pour out of clubs, which are now open later following changes to licensing laws.

We don't want to be a killjoys — in fact, I’ve eaten many kebabs in my time — but kebab vans are a flashpoint for trouble

Ed Turner, chairman of the city council's licensing committee

The city's late night snack servers have gathered together a petition with thousands of signatures opposing the move.

Muhamed Ulas, of Sid's Kitchen, which parks in St Aldate's, said: "I think the council is trying to get rid of kebab vans.

"I will fight this new rule for as long as it takes. People have mortgages to pay and kids to support."

The council has said the crackdown has come amid concerns for public safety.

But, while some vans have proved to be flashpoints for city centre trouble in the past, the owners think it would be better to keep them open longer.

Ahmed Semlali, who works at Ahmed's kebab van in High Street, has been closing at 4am for 17 years.

He has now been told he could face jail or a £20,000 fine if he does not finish an hour earlier.

Mr Semlali, whose petition has been signed by 1,600 customers, said: "That hour is really important and a big part of my income.

"There are so many people looking for food after 3am and it helps them sober up. They can get angry and violent when they see me closing early. My van was kicked in by someone, because we couldn't give him food."

Jamshaid Nasib, of McCoy's van, Pembroke Square, has collected 700 signatures.

He said: "All sorts of people are signing up to support us, including hundreds of line workers at the BMW factory, bus, taxi, and ambulance drivers - even policemen."

The 16 kebab traders have employed lawyer Yvonne Shanti, from Chase Law in Beaumont Street, to help them fight the move.

At a meeting with traders on February 1, the council decided to enforce a 3am licensing law that had been allowed to lapse, despite having the power to alter the hours or start a consultation process.

Kebab traders argued the 3am deadline was imposed when clubs closed much earlier in the morning and the council has turned a blind eye to 4am closing for years.

Ed Turner, chairman of the licensing committee, said: "Of course we're not trying to get rid of the vans. Our decision is based on public safety, not the commercial interests of the van owners.

"We don't want to be a killjoys - in fact, I've eaten many kebabs in my time - but kebab vans are a flashpoint for trouble. If hours were extended, the police would have to change their shifts."

The city council said it had received no complaints recently about noise or trouble from kebab vans open late.

City council spokesman Louisa Dean said: "Kebab vans in Oxford have been required by law to finish trading at 3am since the street trading consent scheme came into being in 1986.

"We have written to all kebab van traders reconfirming the closing time stated in their licences and would ask them to comply with the 3am finish."