A council has been accused of “social snobbery” after a popular family hot dog business faces closure to make way for a £3m town centre makeover.

Lunch on the Run has been a familiar site in Sutton High Street for the past 15 years, with owner Marie Benson’s family trading in the town for the past 30.

Earlier this year she received notice from the council to cease trading by the end of February, with the venue to be demolished in March.

At the time, Councillor Lyn Gleeson told this newspaper the council “fully intends to relocate Mrs Benson as part of the town centre improvements”.

But five months later, and working from a mobile unit outside Wilkinsons, Mrs Benson said the council’s offer to re-position her at the bottom of the High Street would “be the end” of her.

Mrs Benson, 52, who has worked at the shop since she was a schoolgirl, said the proposed pitch would lose her valuable night time trading, which accounts for most of her income.

She said: “The council took my livelihood away when it demolished my kiosk to make way for a new stage. I serve a lot of the poorer customers and elderly who can’t afford the prices Starbucks demand for coffee or tea.

“The council is forcing us down the bottom of the High Street, but I don’t think I’ll survive down there because the bars and clubs are at the top end. Why can’t the community choose where they want to eat?”

Shopper Margaret Stevens, 59, from Wallington, said: “It is social snobbery really.

“If you have two or three kids buying a hot dog or a burger, it is great to keep them going without having to spend a small fortune at Marks and Spencer or Subway. This will only block out a lot of people who can’t afford to eat at the top of the High Street.”

A petition has now been drawn up, with Sutton street pastor Mark Tomlinson adding his name to the 1,615-strong list.

He said: “The hot dog stand contributes positively to the night time economy. It’s a gathering point for people.”

Councillor John Drage, executive member for finance and efficiency at Sutton Council, said: “We are concerned about Mrs Benson’s business and that’s why we have offered her an alternative pitch further down the High Street and will continue to talk to her to reach an agreement.

“However, the old location is not compatible with our plans for an even safer and more prosperous town centre. It acts as a magnet for people coming out of the pubs and clubs and is a potential flashpoint.

“We are looking to get people home quickly rather than have them wandering about trying to find a taxi.”