Stonehaven chippie in deep-fried Mars bar banner row
An Aberdeenshire chip shop that claims to be the birthplace of the deep-fried Mars bar has been ordered to remove a banner advertising its claim to fame.
Aberdeenshire Council has told the Carron Fish Bar in Stonehaven that it must remove a banner on the side of the building "for the good of the wider community".
The controversial deep-fried snack is reputed to have been invented at the chip shop in the 1990s when it was called the Haven.
A 1995 newspaper report in the Daily Record called the fish bar "Scotland's craziest takeaway" and soon the reputation of the deep-fried Mars bar had spread as far as the US, according to the BBC.
Carron Fish Bar owner Lorraine Watson said she would "definitely not" take the banner down in the face of a ban she branded as "ridiculous".
She said she did not understand why the council had ordered the removal of the banner when the fish bar's reputation attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world.
Aberdeenshire Council issued Mrs Watson with the ban as part of a plan to smarten up business premises in the town.
A council letter sent to her said: "Following a thorough walkabout and inspection, an action plan has been drawn up.
"Many of the actions would fall to individual property owners and one of them relates to your property. What needs to be done: Remove banner."
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said: "Together with a range of community organisations we have been looking at ways to improve the look of Stonehaven for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors.
"An action plan has been created in conjunction with the Stonehaven Town Partnership, Community Council, Stonehaven Business Association and the Horizon Group.
"As part of the action plan we have asked some owners in the area to consider making alterations to their properties. This included asking the owners of The Carron Fish Bar to consider removing their banner.
"We do not wish to prevent the owners from promoting their business and we would be happy to have discussions with them regarding the banner."
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