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A long-established food truck business could have its trading licence revoked at a meeting on July 9.
A meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s licensing and appeals sub-committee is being asked by officers to consider modifying or revoking the licence of BBQ King, a takeaway van that currently has permission to trade on King Street Lane in Winnersh.
It had previously been sited on Reading Road, opposite St Paul’s Church.
Notes for the meeting say that within the last six months, multiple complaints have been received from residents, local councillors, environmental health, antisocial behaviour officers, and Thames Valley Police.
“Many separate complaints have been raised against BBQ King relating to matters of licensing, drugs, immigration, food safety and waste management.
“There are also complaints received from members of the public and local councillors.
“This is atypical for street trading consent holders within the borough, who generally comply with inspection regimes.
“These complaints have consumed significant time and resources from across the Enforcement & Safety Service to attempt to achieve compliance.
“Due to the disproportionate amount of Council time wasted from across the enforcement and safety service, owing to the lack of willingness to improve demonstrated by BBQ King, it is therefore recommended that the street trading consent be revoked.”
BBQ King is operated by Muammer Kenan Mursaloglu of Winnersh Catering Ltd. The business has held the street trading consent for BBQ King since 12 October 2019
Mr Mursaloglu attended an interview at Shute End in April 2024 to discuss the allegations.
A transcript of that meeting noted that he said: “I had been trading since about 1991 opposite St Paul’s Church in the layby.
“We received a complaint from the police about parking near a bus stop. We were moved to the youth centre car park.
“We traded there for three years but then the youth centre (owned by WBC) removed us.
“We had a meeting, but the council came up with every excuse to move us. I accepted this and left.
“It made me feel humiliated and impacted my family financially,
“I had three young children and a mortgage. I could have taken the council to court but didn’t have the money or the time.
“The council offered to find me a new pitch but never did.
“I bought the business on King Street Lane in Winnersh from someone else and moved there.”
He added: “Our business is struggling so we want to fix mistakes.
“We are willing to work with the council and are open to advice.
“We do make everyday mistakes, and this won’t be the last, but we want to fix them.
“It would be harsh to take away our licence.
“You do not treat us the same as chip shops and kebab shops, which are often much worse, I would like you to treat us the same as a shop.
“This is a living for my family, which has been here since 1990, and this would have a big effect on us.”
You can read the agenda notes for the meeting here.
