Peterborough mobile cafe owners plan legal action over council decision to revoke roadside pitch

The owners of Roundabout Café, Mr Sebahattin ‘Sam’ and Mrs Ayseglil Mutlu, who had their street trading consent revoked by Peterborough City Council , say they are now considering taking legal action over the matter.

Mr Mutlu said: “They have destroyed a family business and I hope they are pleased with what they have done.”

Mr and Mrs Mutlu’s license was revoked by the council’s Licensing Committee at a meeting on Thursday, September 2, on the grounds of public safety.

Concerns had been raised after more than 50 incidents were reported to the council and the police over a series of incidents involving claims and counter claims with their neighbours in Wainman Road, Woodston.

The Mutlus were in dispute with their nearest neighbouring business, Frank’s Automotive Services, claiming that the parking of multiple client vehicles all waiting for servicing, repairs or MOTs was infringing on their ability to serve food to their customers.

The Licensing Committee Chair, Cllr Scott Warren said: “This is not a matter where one party is wholly at fault, but rather it is the case that both parties are equally culpable of wrongdoing and provocation to some degree.”

Asked about possible future legal action, Mr Mutlu said in a telephone conversation following the decision: “I am so angry about this decision – now I am determined that we are going to take legal action and leave the matter in the hands of my legal team to get justice for us.”

In a letter to the Peterborough Telegraph in response to comments made about the situation on social media, Mr Dilustro, owner of Frank’s Automative Services said: “It’s easy to think that we know what’s going on.

“We don’t understand why a person has taken a particular course of action, why an event has taken place. We don’t make decisions on evidence or fact, we just make the decision and believe it, as fact.

“A lot of damage can be done by confusing assumptions with the truth. If we just stop and do our own fact-checking before deciding that we know something, we’ll avoid the trap of false assumptions and most likely prevent a lot of unnecessary difficulties for ourselves and others.

“It has taken over twelve months for the Peterborough City Council to take the decision to relocate the Roundabout Café, on the facts presented to them.

“The Licensing Committee Public Report is available online. I would like to stress and make clear, at no time have any of my employees or myself been involved or associated with any altercation.

“Gareth Brighton’s report was in essence correct, there’s enough space for the café and us to coexist, with a little give and take on both sides as there has had to be, but for some inexplicable reason I’ll never understand there was not enough room for the owners of the café.

“We have been here since 2013. Armando was here when we took over the unit.

“The previous owner of this unit provided electricity to his vehicle from a seperate meter he had installed. I don’t know if Armando was charged from that meter, but I never, and I never had to pay for a bacon roll.

“Armando was a gentleman who retired due to ill health. I extended that courtesy to the new owner, and for the next six years there was never a cross word between us.

“That’s about as much as I want to say on the subject.

“I was asked not to attend the meeting.

“Frank’s Autos has no objection to Mr Mutlu placing a banner on their fence to inform clients of his new location.

“We are sorry to arrive at this situation and wish Mr Mutlu success in the future.”

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