THE MANAGER of a Kidlington fish and chip shop has warned it may have to shut if a proposed new takeaway opens in the village.

Mauro Braiotta, manager of The Rainbow chip shop in High Street, admitted the shop was already struggling for business but said plans to turn an existing building in Banbury Road into a fish and chip shop could spell the end.

He has given his support to a petition against the proposals, submitted by JPPC on behalf of Luke Carter, for the new takeaway called Off The Hook.

The petition, launched by Sami’s Takeaway in Oxford Road, Kidlington, has gathered more than 500 signatures from businesses and residents.

Mr Braiotta said: “It will affect me badly. I don’t think I will be able to pay the rent because we are already struggling as a business.

“I think we will struggle to keep open and if this new fish and chip shop opens then I may have to go somewhere else.

“People love to have fish and chips, but not every day, just once a week, so if we miss that because someone else is here then we can’t make any money.”

Councillor Maurice Billington said he sided with takeaways in the village and would be warning planning officers at Cherwell District Council about approving the plans.

Mr Billington added the application was “totally unnecessary and totally out of order” and he would be speaking to planning officers at the council regarding the scheme.

Owner of Sami’s Takeaway Sami Akcal, who has lived in the village for 12 years, said there were already 27 takeaway food shops in the village and a loss in profits of up to 10 per cent was foreseeable.

The 55-year-old said: “I am concerned because we do not want any more.

“There are already 27 takeaway food shops in Kidlington.

“Buses go through Kidlington to Oxford, but they do not stop in Kidlington so how can I be making any money.

“Empty spaces in Kidlington should be made into shops. I am really concerned for my business and so is everyone, because the population in Kidlington is not rising but there are more businesses.”

Cherwell District Council said it would take the petition into consideration “where relevant.”

Managing director of Off The Hook Luke Carter, of Woodstock, said: “I am aware of the petition and I would have to say do not be scared of competition, because if the customers don’t want to use us then they will not want to use us.

“I do not think competition should be discouraged, I think it should be encouraged because you will end up with a better quality product at the end of the day.

“There are about 18,000 people in Kidlington and I definitely think they will benefit from it.”