A picturesque Lake District village once celebrated by William Wordsworth as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found” has become embroiled in a bitter dispute over plans for its first ever kebab shop.
Shwan Khder, a 38-year-old British-Iranian Kurd entrepreneur, saw his application to open a Turkish takeaway in Grasmere rejected in May following objections from residents who argued it would damage the settlement’s historic character.
The poet lived in the village and remains buried there.
Despite the setback, Mr Khder has vowed to press ahead by operating as a sit-down restaurant while preparing a fresh planning application.
“It is absolutely unbelievable,” he told The Telegraph. “I have to apply again for a change of use to a takeaway, but for the moment I’m going to run it as a restaurant where customers can eat in or take out. But it won’t be a takeaway.”
The prospect of a kebab shop has alarmed some longtime residents who fear it could trigger an influx of chain stores and fast food establishments.
“That sounds astonishing, really,” said Julian Hyde, 59, who works at Sam Read Bookseller, an establishment dating back to 1887. “A kebab shop? In Grasmere? It’s appalling. You could then have a fish and chip shop next to it. Then Tesco Express, and so on.”
Mr Hyde warned that litter problems would inevitably follow, noting the village green already resembles an urban area during peak summer months.
Local residents in Grasmere have opposed to the introduction of a kebab shop
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John Lowther, 71, who has called Grasmere home since 1984, shares a private lane with the proposed premises and fears constant disruption from customers’ vehicles.
“This lane is going to be a nightmare,” said Mr Lowther, who operates puzzle shop Barney’s Newsbox. “The kebab shop simply does not fit in with this beautiful village.”
The Lake District National Park Authority sided with objectors when Mr Khder submitted his application in March to convert a disused restaurant into a takeaway.
Planning officials raised concerns about “inconsiderate parking” affecting nearby residents and highlighted an “incongruous” extractor pipe that would need installing in the kitchen.
Locals say it will disrupt the quaint nature of Grasmere
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The authority deemed the ventilation equipment detrimental to the village’s aesthetic appeal, particularly given its position near a bedroom window in the flat above.
Kyle Wyness, who owns that flat, had lodged a formal complaint describing the pipe as an “eyesore” that would create an “odour and noise nuisance” by wafting kebab smells into his property.
Mr Khder had already invested £10,000 on the extractor system and kitchen refurbishment before learning his application had been turned down.
The entrepreneur, who already runs takeaways in Kendal and Kirkby Stephen, remains undeterred as he prepares his second application.
Mr Khder is so confident his venture would benefit Grasmere that he believes even Mr Wordsworth himself would have patronised it.
“If Wordsworth was alive today, of course he would [be one of my customers],” he said. “He needed energy and he needed food, especially if it’s fresh, homemade food like my kebabs. Everybody back then would have wanted one.”
His cause has attracted backing from locals who see a genuine need for the service.
Leah Sky, a 24-year-old bartender at one of the village pubs, finishes work too late to find anywhere serving food.
“Restaurants shut early, so there is nowhere for me to get food,” she said. “If you’re out all day, what will you do for food?”
Tim Hardy, the 60-year-old semi-retired proprietor of Fitzwilliam Fine Art, has thrown his weight behind Mr Khder’s venture.
“I just believe in free enterprise,” the art dealer said. “I’m probably the only person who would say that in this village. Everybody else will be against it, no doubt, because they like to keep this place as a museum. All the locals object to all new ventures. But I believe in diversity.”
Paul Abbott, 39, who operates the Grasmere Distillery, offered more measured support, acknowledging the village could benefit from additional retail options.
Visitors have also welcomed the proposal. Linda Burton, a 58-year-old retired swimming teacher from Rochdale visiting with her husband Tony, said the affordable prices would appeal to tourists.
“It would be nice to have somewhere cheap to grab and go,” she said. “A lot of places here are so expensive.”
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