Greasy roadside takeaways serving motorists burgers and chips will be shut down if they fail to offer new healthier alternatives, under new rules revealed today.
The snack vans, often found in busy lay-bys, must now offer soup, salads or low fat yogurts with their artery-clogging kebabs.

They must also limit the amount of mayonnaise served – because it has been branded a ‘very high fat product’.

Environmental health officers will inspect menus during routine hygiene checks.

And traders who fail to meet the strict new standards in Guildford, Surrey, will be refused a street trader’s licence when it comes up for renewal each year.

Councillors at Guildford Borough Council this week reviewed their street traders policy for the first time in seven years and insisted every menu has at least one healthy option.

The list of recommended food includes low fat grilled sausage with wholemeal bread, chilli con carne with lean mince and jacket potato with a selection of fillings.

A report to the council’s licensing committee said: ‘In accordance with the council’s health promotion programme, it is recommended that at least one healthy meal choice be provided for customers.’

The report added: ‘It is important that the use of mayonnaise is limited since this is a very high fat product.

‘It could be offered to the customer to add himself as a choice.’ Grant Harris, who has run the Skip’s Catering food van from a lay-by on Guildford’s A281 for five years, thinks his customers will continue to eat burgers and chips.

He said: ‘Our customers are mainly scaffolders, builders and lorry drivers and they are not going to want this new food.

‘The sandwiches and jacket potatoes are more suited to a sandwich bar. The rules seems to be going over the top with political correctness. Some of the things the council is suggesting I serve would cause a bit of a problem – I just can’t see people wanting them.’

But Clifford Bell, head of environmental health at the council, wants motorists to move away from high calorie, high-fat food.

He said: ‘It remains for the trader to design his menu around the principles of healthier catering, such as grilling rather than frying.

‘The aim is to give consumers a wider choice and move away from the sole provision of high calories, high fat fast foods.’

Vans operating on private land will not be affected.

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