The future of a fledgling Highland business which found itself at the centre of a “seafood war” has been secured.
Kirsty Scobie and Fenella MacRae were given permission to open their Seafood Shack in Ullapool as long as they did not trade within a 490ft (150m) radius of a shop or restaurant selling similar products.
But the nearby Gallery Cafe had fish dishes on its menu and complained to Highland Council about the fare on offer from its new competitor.
The owners of the seafood shack understood that the cafe only sold paninis and cakes but its owner, Paul Eddington, said that they frequently changed their menu.
The cafe owner closed his business down after being deluged with online abuse amid the seafood war, with locals accusing Mr Eddington of deliberately changing his menu to scupper the new operation.
The Seafood Shack has now been placed on the valuation roll which means that it does not require a street traders licence and the previous rule no longer applies.
Fenella MacRae said: “It means we don’t need a street traders licence, we are like any other business in operation. Hopefully that is everything fine.
“We would like to say thank you to everyone and the locals in Ullapool who supported us from the start.”
A post on The Seafood Shack’s social media site said: “We have received a confirmation letter informing us we are now a permanent fixture!
“So all our worries are finished and The Seafood Shack will be staying put. Thank you so much everyone for all your support over a very interesting first year. We won’t forget it.”
A spokeswoman for Highland Council said: “A letter was sent out from the assessors office to confirm that the business is now on the valuation role.
“Now they are on the role there is no need for them to have a street traders licence to trade from this address therefore the previous 150m rule does not apply.”
The authority’s environmental health team certified the mobile catering unit as fit for use and granted a street trader’s licence in March.”
Highland Council said the women were given ample warning about the condition which stipulated they should take care to site themselves outside the 490ft radius and seek permission from other businesses.
But Miss Scobie said previously that the pair spoke to the council about the trader’s licence and said they did not think they sold similar products so “it should be OK”.
