Food truck operators along Aberdeen Beach are demanding improved street lighting and security measures after thieves stole a valuable generator from one of the area’s established vendors, leaving business owners anxious about their safety and their livelihoods.
Danielle Smith, owner of Sweet Toots Cakery, alerted fellow food truck operators to the crime after her generator was stolen on 1 November 2024. The incident has sent ripples of concern through the close-knit community of mobile food vendors who operate along the Esplanade, where most businesses rely on generators to power their operations due to limited electrical infrastructure in the area.
Like the majority of food truck businesses positioned along Aberdeen’s beachfront, Smith stores her generator in a secure plastic container beside her catering van. However, this precaution proved insufficient against determined thieves who targeted the equipment during hours of darkness.
The theft comes at a particularly challenging time for Aberdeen Beach’s food truck sector, which has experienced significant growth in recent years. The number of vendors operating along the beachfront has expanded considerably, with operators requiring street trader licences from Aberdeen City Council to conduct business in the area. In March 2023, Smith herself was among those granted a street trader licence for her pitch on the Beach Esplanade East Side, approximately 250 metres south of Links Road South.
The Aberdeen Beach incident reflects a broader pattern of acquisitive crime affecting businesses across Scotland. According to Police Scotland data, theft of plant and fuel increased by 12.2% in 2023 compared to the five-year average, with generators and machinery representing prime targets for thieves.
Generator theft has become particularly prevalent as fuel prices have surged. Experts estimate that fuel theft increased by over 60% in 2022, with thieves targeting not only the fuel itself but also the valuable generators that power mobile businesses.
Derek Park from fellow Beach food truck Croque told The Press and Journal:
“Unfortunately, this is a new thing that is happening. I think during summer there was a lot of campervans in the area and a lot of people coming and going. Now it is much quieter and thieves are taking the opportunity to strike when no one is around.”
“Businesses like us are very fragile as it is. We are parked by the North Sea, faced with the wind, and of course footfall is down during the colder months.”
“I think more could be done to secure the area better. There is no lighting or security cameras, so I am always wary.”
Infrastructure challenges
The call for improved lighting comes as Aberdeen Beach undergoes its largest redevelopment in 35 years, with Aberdeen City Council investing £50 million in transformational works to create a must-visit waterfront destination. The ambitious City Centre and Beachfront Masterplan includes the creation of a new beach park, events field, and enhanced facilities across the area.
However, the extensive construction works have created new challenges for businesses operating in the area. A section of Beach Boulevard between Links Road and the Esplanade was permanently closed to vehicle traffic in September 2024 to allow construction teams to begin work on the new facilities. While the closure aims to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment, it has also altered traffic patterns and reduced vehicle access to parts of the beachfront where food trucks operate.
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The redevelopment includes plans for improved lighting as part of the overall masterplan, though the timeline for these enhancements remains tied to the broader construction schedule, which is not expected to complete until 2026. Aberdeen City Council’s Creative Lighting Strategy acknowledges the importance of appropriate illumination for areas of night-time activity, including provisions for intervention lighting where levels can be raised if incidents occur.
For operators like Danielle Smith, who had invested approximately £7,000 in purchasing and outfitting a catering trailer to expand her Newburgh-based bakery business to the beach, the theft incident represents yet another challenge for a sector that already faces regulatory hurdles, weather-dependent operations, and the substantial capital investment required to launch and maintain a mobile food business. Street trader licences from Aberdeen City Council cost approximately £200-260 annually, with additional costs for food safety certificates, employee licensing, and waste collection services.
Aberdeen Beach’s food truck community, which has grown to become an integral part of the area’s appeal, now waits to see whether authorities will respond to their security concerns with the urgency the situation demands.
