Burger sellers at war over van pitches

A SNACK bar war has broken out in Edinburgh amid claims one operator was threatened with having his van burnt down unless he moved.

Long-standing burger seller Eddie Joyal says that he was told to quit his pitch or see his business go up in flames.

The conflict erupted when Mr Joyal returned with his trailer to Bath Road, Leith, after a two-month lay-off, to find 24-year-old Courtney Smith had moved in with her van while he was away.

Mr Joyal, 38, has been running snack vans for 11 years and holds a licence to trade from the road, outside VA Tech Peebles Transformers’ new factory.

But he claims that a man he describes as Miss Smith’s boyfriend threatened one of his staff while they working at the van, telling the counter assistant that he would burn the van down and "sort him out".

Miss Smith has applied for a licence to operate her van near Mr Joyal’s and the existing operator has objected to his rival’s move.

In a letter of objection received by the council on May 2, Mr Joyal outlines the intimidation he claims his staff have suffered since Miss Smith’s burger van arrived.

As well as the alleged threat to set light to the van, Mr Joyal claims threats were made against his other van, which he parks next to Halfords in Craigentinny Avenue North.

The issue is set to come to a head on Friday when councillors decide whether or not to grant Miss Smith a street trader’s licence.

Mr Joyal, of Marionville Crescent, said he had only left Bath Road because he needed to have a new trailer built.

"I’ve never spoken to the lass, but I have spoken to the boyfriend, although I don’t know his name," said Mr Joyal.

"I’ve been doing this for 11 years, and whenever I’ve gone for a licence, I’ve made sure no-one else had one for that spot because I don’t want to rain on anyone else’s parade."

In a letter to the council, he adds: "It’s not fair that I cannot operate on a site I have paid my licence fee for.

"I have held a street trader’s licence for ten-and-a-half years without any complaints or threats and I don’t really need this."

But Miss Smith, a single mum, of James Street, Joppa, today hit back at the claims of intimidation.

She said there had been heated words exchanged between her boyfriend and the man working in her rival’s van when it first returned to the patch.

However, she said: "There wasn’t any lasting problems with the guy who was working there, or any so-called ‘intimidation’.

"I’ve been trading there for the past year and there’s not been another van there.

"I saved up night and day to get my snack bar to try and make some money to keep me and my daughter. I admit I didn’t have a licence before, and that was wrong, but I was trying to earn some money to apply for one, which I’ve done now.

"All I’m hoping for is to get my licence. I’m happy to operate alongside another van in that spot. I’m all for fair trading. All I want to do is make a living and a life for myself and my child."

Licensing convener Councillor Phil Attridge said he was not aware of the problem.

However, he added: "This will have to be considered on its merits at the committee.

"But if somebody is making remarks like this, I imagine we will want some answers. We’ll want to check everything out."

Miss Smith’s burger van was closed when the Evening News called.