Loch Lochy’s Burger Queen has been asked to vacate her viewpoint layby after a spat with the local community.
A dispute over the snack van’s future was brought on by the local community council, who said the “dilapidated” van had “overstayed its welcome.”
The Burger Queen defended the immobile snack van claiming that without her van the layby would descend into a “rubbish dump.”
The business has a prime spot on the busy A82 Fort William to Inverness road, which is popular with tourists.
Councillors have since stepped in to negotiate a compromise between Burger Queen and the community council, which will allow her to remain over the summer but leave in winter.
Burger Queen – serving since 1999
According to the council’s documented history, Burger Queen began her service back in 1999 with a planning application that was initially refused.
Council officers at the time looked to “protect views over open water” and controlled developments on major traffic routes.
However, this was overturned by councillors and Burger Queen has remained active ever since.
Burger Queen’s journey to Loch Lochy layby supremacy hit a speed bump in 2022. The van had closed during period due to the pandemic and was vandalised at the time.
Just previously, a rival snack van was granted access in late-2021 to join the Loch Lochy layby, but their permissions have since expired.
Burger Queen returned to service in May 2023 and has now been declared off-road and can no longer be driven.
Dilapidated vehicle has ‘outstayed its welcome’
Burger Queen’s Loch Lochy reign may well have continued uncontested were it not for the local Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry Community Council.
They argued the “elderly and dilapidated” van had “outstayed its welcome,” was a blight on the local landscape and should be removed.
Their objection said: “At this layby we have a viewpoint of natural beauty and sitting there an elderly and dilapidated static which offers nothing but an occasional take away experience.”
Community Council secretary Melvyn Giles added Highland Council has been “extraordinarily generous” in continuing to grant Burger Queen permission over the years.
Snack vans and other mobile food outlets only have to apply for planning permission in the Highlands if they remain in the same spot for longer than 28 days.
What did the Burger Queen have to say?
Burger Queen took the opportunity to respond to the community council’s objection, just a few weeks before the future of the van was due to be discussed by councillors.
Angela Cunningham, who runs the business, admitted the van was an “older” vehicle but disputed the claims it was dilapidated, saying the deflated tyres are to level the van.
She added her customers are “very positive” and “certainly don’t view it” as dilapidated.
Mrs Cunningham also said she acts in the council’s interests by keeping the layby clean of litter.
She said: “If the community council were to see the disposable barbecues, dirty nappies, wine/beer bottles and AdBlue containers along with all the other general waste dumped they’d be shocked.”
Highland Council do not currently have any bin facilities in the layby.
Mrs Cunningham said that without her clean up efforts the viewpoint would become significantly worse.
She added: “Within a couple of weeks the viewpoint would be like a rubbish dump of the 70s/80s style.”
Councillors order van to be removed over winter
Highland councillors have now decided the van should be removed in winter when it is not trading.
Duncan Macpherson said: “It’s a really picturesque area of the highlands and it is blighted by this rather unsightly vehicle being there all year round.”
Morven Reid reiterated the concerns of “a run down van that looks dreadful in a beautiful area” but if it is open regularly, then Burger Queen is “not a problem.”
The planning committee concluded Burger Queen must vacate the layby for the duration of the winter but can return each year for summer.
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