Mobile caterer ordered to leave JCB site
BBCA mobile catering business said it would have to close after it was given just over a week's notice to leave the site where it has been trading for about eight years.
Heidi's Kitchen of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, had operated a snack van on what was a public highway at JCB's headquarters in Rocester, a road which the firm has since adopted.
Heidi Hall said she was "devastated" to leave on Friday as 80% of their trade came from workers at the company and they had not had the chance to find new trade.
JCB said there had been no formal agreement in place, so it did not need to give notice, and its new catering provider had been given exclusivity for on-site catering at the plant.
The caterer said they started trading from the side of the road at JCB after they were approached by some of the firm's workers.
"We sort of did a bit of a recce, came down, nobody sort of said anything, we're only here for half an hour, we don't tread on anyone's toes," she said.
After a few years of afternoon visits, workers asked for morning visits too.
"When we were told last week, I did say this would have catastrophic consequences to the business because it isn't just a matter of building that client base again - that takes months of doing."
The closure of the snack van, and the shop in Uttoxeter where the stock is prepared, means the loss of four jobs.
JCB said Heidi's Kitchen had been operating for some time on what was previously a public highway, without any authorisation or formal agreement in place.
The road has since been adopted and is now private property, it stated.
JCB had recently appointed a new catering provider at its world headquarters, which the company heavily subsidises, and the supplier's contract gives them exclusivity for on-site catering at the Rocester plant.
More than one week's verbal notice was given as a courtesy to Heidi's Kitchen, it added.
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