A much-loved truck stop cafe has been given three weeks’ notice of closure despite being on their site for 16 years.
Big Baps Butty Van, just off the Mottram roundabout, say they have been given an eviction notice and told to be off the site by January 6.
The van’s layby is right next to the Balfour Beatty compound, where work on the A57 Link Road ramps up in the new year.
Marisa Russo, who runs the van with her husband Tony said: “It’s been chocka here for the last three months, but we’ve been taking less than half our normal amount because there’s only room for one or two cars now.
“I could lose my house. I’m 54, it’s not like I can just walk into another job.”
The Russos are considering starting a petition to save their livelihood and have written to National Highways without any joy.
Local MP Jonathan Reynolds has also contacted the agency on their behalf.
Although Big Baps is on Tameside Council land, the couple don’t have a lease for the site, with Marisa saying TMBC has always “just let us be here”.
“They’ve tried to say I’ve been verbally abusive to staff, but I haven’t. I had one day where I had a bit of a rant to myself.
“Another time they said that I was interfering with the traffic management because I moved a cone by about a foot. I had to because nobody could park up.
“I think Balfour Beatty are being really peevish and bullying.
“They’ve not even been for any butties. It’s like all the workers have been told not to come to us. They’ve all gone to the BP garage instead.”
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