A ROW between a low cost supermarket and a catering van businessman is rumbling on.

Robert Pouton, who owns hot food van Rob’s Snacks, says Lidl’s campaign to move him on from a bridle path near to its regional distribution centre has ramped up in the last month.

The dispute last came to a head in April when giant rocks were put down on the Durham County Council (DCC)-owned land, at the junction of Millennium Way and Moordale Road, in Newton Aycliffe.

The rocks were removed but now the 52-year-old trader claims complaints have started up again.

He said: “Lidl is just trying to get rid of me any way they can. They are saying the junction is being obscured by vehicles parking in front of it but they are not.

"It’s been a vendetta since January but I’m going to keep fighting because they are just trying to bully me. It’s a big company trying to bully someone who’s trying to earn a living.”

Brian Buckley, of Durham County Council, said: “We are continuing to monitor the situation in order to fully understand the issues. However, we have informed Mr Pouton that he may be asked to vacate the site if it is deemed necessary.”

Mr Pouton would be asked to move if he was found to be illegally trading from the highway or if he was doing anything to impact highway safety, such as obscuring motorists’ sight lines.

A spokesperson for Lidl said they are continuing efforts to find a suitable solution and that they have a responsibility to ensure there are no health and safety risks to drivers or pedestrians.