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Oxford's Kebab 'don' moved on by council

by LotusFlower | February 2, 2009 at 11:13 am

601 views | 16 Recommendations | 6 comments

Saeid Keshmiri is Oxford's self styled 'Kebab don' able to talk about and make Kebabs with the same eloquence as the University's other professors or 'dons' as they are known.

Saeid has run Sid's Kitchen for fifteen years serving up kebabs to some of the UK's brainiest students from his van outside the university's famous Christ Church College but found himself in front of a council committee for being too smelly.

The college argued that the smell of kebabs put students off their studies but many students sprang to Saeids defence claiming that his tasty comestibles kept them sustained through the hard nights of reading and writing required to do well at one of the most famous university colleges in the world.

Saeid lost his case and has been moved just 200 yards down the road in a decision that seems something of a hollow victory for the college elders and one that sees the students perhaps burning off just a little more of the fat from Sid's Kitchen's late night Kebab's.

Between the hours of 7pm and 3am every day, the 62-year-old serves kebabs, chips and burgers from "Sid's Kitchen" to those returning home late.

The college argued that the smell of the food was off-putting to students trying to sleep nearby and also encouraged drunken revellers.

It applied to Oxford City Council's licensing committee to revoke his licence but his van has instead been moved 200 yards further down the road in a compromise agreement.

Christ Church steward John Harris told a hearing at Oxford Town Hall: "It is inappropriate and unsuitable to have traders with noise, food smells, as well as crime and disorder in plain view of windows of people who want a good night's sleep."

But Mr Keshmiri insisted he was providing a useful service.

"For 15 years we have been serving people including the students," he said. "They come down and get a baked potato when studying at night. They are quite happy we are here.

"It's a nice place to work - the only problem is drunk people but they are not using my van, they are using the bus stops."

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Rachel Nixon

at 11:25 on February 2nd, 2009

Ah, the Oxford kebab vans. I remember them well. I fail to see why the dons of Christ Church have decided this is a problem now when Saeid has been there for 15 years.

LotusFlower

at 11:28 on February 2nd, 2009

Well you know college authorities....

generaldecay

at 12:45 on February 2nd, 2009

Oh no! Christ Church is my college. I can't believe they did that. I must see if I can find out more from other members.

LotusFlower

at 13:19 on February 2nd, 2009

well its still there but 200 yds down the road... which way? hmm...

158

at 20:14 on February 2nd, 2009

Sounds like great food.

East_End_Girl_1968 (not verified)

at 09:40 on February 3rd, 2009

I think having Kebab/Fast Food vans is an excellant idea. Visiting Oxford was the first time I'd seen them in such abundance. I didn't see any trouble around them at all. Just hungry clubbers/pubbers (did I just make that word up?) wanting a reasonably priced fullfilling meal. At the end of the day, it's all down to supply and demand.