Is the home of Wordsworth ready for its first kebab shop?

The idyllic Lake District village of Grasmere was once the home of poet William Wordsworth and now attracts flocks of tourists every year. While traditional pub grub or afternoon teas might usually be on the menu, there are now plans for a kebab shop - and they have split the village.

Shwan Khder submitted proposals for a takeaway in Grasmere in May, citing the need for more food options in the village.

They were rejected by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA), but he has not given up hope.

"Grasmere is a beautiful place but it doesn't have a takeaway," he said. "I was a bit disappointed, but I respect the planning authority."

Set against a backdrop of fells and mountains, Grasmere is well known for being the home of romantic poet Wordsworth.

He arrived there in 1799 to live with his sister Dorothy in a cottage on the edge of the village.

It is now a museum known as Dove Cottage and was described by the poet as "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found".

He is buried in St Oswald's churchyard, with tourists visiting there to pay their respects.

Khder has been running similar businesses in Kendal and Kirkby Stephen for nearly 20 years, both outside of the national park and more than 15 miles from Grasmere.

When rejecting the plans, the LDNPA said concerns about litter, smells and worries about the shop's proximity to the local primary school had all been raised.

But Khder said he had already invested about £10,000 into the property to get it up to standard, including adding an extractor fan.

He said he would spend another £15,000 refurbishing the interior.

The businessman said he was not deterred by the decision, and said he would reapply, explaining: "It's definitely needed because like other places, [Grasmere] needs more options for [food]."

Even Wordsworth would have tried one of his kebabs, he claimed.

"I respect Wordsworth's legacy," he said. "Of course he would."

Head of development management at LDNPA Andrew Smith said planning permission for the takeaway was refused because

• a proposed external flue would be very close to the bedroom window of a neighbouring home, and noise and odour may affect living conditions
• the appearance of the flue would have detracted from the character and appearance of the conservation area
• highway safety issues as a result of potential parking had not been addressed

"If aggrieved with the refusal, the applicant has a right of appeal to the Secretary of State," Smith said.

John Lowther lives close to the proposed takeaway and runs puzzle shop Barney's Newsbox at the other end of the village.

He said parking could cause a problem for residents.

"You can't park on the main road," he said. "And if [people] can't park, they're going to block the lane."

Lowther also believes the plans do not fit with the village's aesthetic.

"It's not in keeping with a village like Grasmere," he said.

"Kebab shops are fine in towns and cities [but] we wouldn't want fish and chips either because of the litter. It takes the charm away from the place."

Thousands of people flock to Grasmere to visit the home of Wordsworth and Lowther believes they would not approve of the plans either.

"I'm sure they would hate it," he said.

Jone Benevente works in the nearby pharmacy and said people in the village had mixed feelings about the kebab shop proposals.

"A lot of people say they would have appreciated it because there aren't really many things like that in the village or [they] can't afford the prices here," she said.

But Benevente said keeping the village looking good for tourists and avoiding extra litter was the priority.

"It would change the ambience in the village," she said. "I would more be in favour of not having it, personally."

The Fitzwilliam Gallery is close to the proposed site of the kebab shop and owner Tim Hardy said he was open to the idea.

"I'm generally in favour of free enterprise and free choice and I think if people welcome change, we're more likely to be able to mould that into our way of thinking," he said.

Hardy added he believed concerns about smells coming from the premises and rubbish were unfounded.

"I've seen them fitting the shop out to a very high standard, so I don't have any problems with that," he said.

Several other workers told the BBC they would be in favour of the kebab shop going ahead, but some did not want to say so publicly because of concerns about fallings out in the village.

So what do visitors think of the plans?

Karen Wheatley, from Redcar, said she thought the takeaway could be a hit with tourists.

"Visitors might quite like it as a night-time option if they're camping," she said. "It depends if it's going to be quaint and not overdone - no bright lights."

Phil and Glenda Grey, visiting from Wollongong in Australia, said the appeal of the kebab shop depended on a few factors.

Phil said he might consider visiting, depending on the time of day.

His wife Glenda said the decision on whether the takeaway should go ahead depended on its proximity to a pub.

"Is there a pub nearby?" she asked. "Because in Australia, anywhere there's a pub, you can open a kebab shop."

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