A call to support our takeaways on the peninsula has been made following a move by another chip van to operate in Shotley.

The mobile fish and chip van, which is part of a franchise operation based in Colchester, has announced it plans to start a weekly visit to the Shotley peninsula, and has advertised its first visit to a housing estate, which is already well served by food outlets.

Laws Cottage in Chelmondiston, is famed for its Chinese food, The Lasan in Shotley serves English food, including fish, pies, sausages, chicken wraps and chips alongside a vast array of traditional Indian meals.

The Shotley Rose has battled to survive during three lockdowns by continuing to serve takeaway food, including pizzas, chicken, burgers and lamb doner wraps.

Sarah, Jamie and Mark, have also supplied lunches for the over-60s on Fridays and deliver them free as part of their commitment to the community.

The Kings Head in Stutton has also stayed open to offer takeaway meals, including battered sausage and chips, burgers, steaks and vegetarian options.

The Loch & Quay at Woolverstone marina, is showing its gratitude to local users during lockdown.by offering free delivery for all orders of £20+ to households on the Shotley Peninsula and The Outlook at Wherstead offers a wide range of takeaways, including Sunday roasts.

Most have five star food hygiene ratings by Babergh's environmental health teams, all pay business rates, are in their communities all year round and offer more than just the usual services expected of them.

A fish and chip van already operates in Shotley and Holbrook, while Dolly's Pizza operates in Stutton and Holbrook.

Fiona Ewart, the owner of Dolly's lives in Tattingstone and has made community contributions, including free pizzas to the NHS and carers.

A number of people have reacted angrily to the threat of anther mobile food van, that does not pay rates, does not contribute to the local economy or support the peninsula community, and is travelling from Essex.

Zoe Barnes, from Shotley has vowed to continue to support just local takeaways, and warned by using mobile vans coming from outside the area, could result in the loss of local businesses.

"While I totally respect the right for people to use whoever they choose for their takeaways, I would hate for us not to be able to go to, say - the Lasan, or the Rose, or Laws Cottage," said Miss Barnes. "My partner usually picks up our food, which is a weekly treat, so we share the love of which one we use.

"They all do lovely food and offer a good variety and we know what we are getting, we can trust them.

"Imagine if we spent our money on a fly by night van from somewhere else and that made the difference between our local takeaways surviving or not."

A map posted on social media by the potential new van prompted an angry reaction with comments including:

'Don't understand why they have chosen Shotley. Surely it would make more sense to try a village that doesn't have a fish and chip shop already ?? Would have thought you would get more customers.'

'are we not able to choose who we support?'

"Its nice to have a bit of variation. We have also thought it good on occasions when other type of food vans have visited. Its more a point questioning if we need another chip van visiting really, especially one from so far away that can easily choose to serve areas closer to its base, and perhaps villages that don't have their own restaurants and takeaways.