Popular kebab van man arrested

3:14pm Thursday 14th August 2008

Comments (22)   Have your say »

A specialist team of officers swooped on a kebab van in Chippenham last week and arrested an alleged illegal immigrant working there.

The man was working in the van, stationed at the Bumpers Farm Industrial Estate, on August 8 when officers from the Immigration Services detained him.

The kebab van, which has been stationed at the industrial estate for several years and is open almost 24 hours a day seven days a week, is the most popular in the town.

Many people take taxis from the town centre to the site just to get food.

Frequent visitor John Townsend, 19, of Pewsham said: "The guy who worked in there was always really friendly and enjoyed chatting to people around the van.

"I would have never guessed that he could be an illegal immigrant - this is crazy news.

"Everyone I know always makes a detour on their way home from nights out - taxi drivers make a fortune from the kebab van being based there.

"We are all just hoping everything gets sorted out and he comes back soon - his kebabs really are the best in the county."

The man, who is thought to be still under investigation, is known locally as Yilmaz.

Matthew White, who works part time at the Pets At Home store on Bumpers Farm said that a number of workers at the industrial estate go to the van for their lunch.

He said: "There is very often a queue at the van during the day and the guy there is always in such a good mood.

"I think it would be a great shame if the van was forced to close because of this.

"He has been here for years and we are all just hoping this all gets sorted out. Friday and Saturday nights will never be the same again if the van shuts."

The kebab van is so popular that it even has its own fan group on the social networking site Facebook. It is thought that someone else will take over the van in the meantime.