The popular Mountain Woman Restaurant in Britannia Beach could be starting a second life in Squamish.The Ministry of Transportation (MOT) has ordered owner Lynne Cook to move the fish and chips bus from its Highway 99 location this September, citing safety concerns.The 24-year old restaurant has become a trademark in Britannia Beach and has served the likes of Leslie Neilsen and Tim Allen. But an outpouring of support from her neighbours to the north has got Cook thinking about setting up shop without the bus in downtown Squamish."I've got lots of customers from Squamish," she said. A petition started in June stating an objection to the move has more than 2,000 signatures with the largest group being from Squamish, she said.Ideally, Cook would simply stay put. She said prospect of closing the restaurant or relocating to another community has been upsetting for her and her two staff members. While her restaurant is close to the highway, she said it is no different than other highway businesses such as Squamish Inn on the Water and Sea to Sky Ford.But MOT operations manager Brian Atkins said the stop is confusing, stating "it's a matter of time" until an accident occurs."You drive there it's hard to understand where to go," he said. "I know myself when we went out there to look at it, when we left her place, I went the wrong way."The restaurant has a loyal customer following. On Saturdays in the summer, the line up is often more than 10 people deep.It is a popular stop for seniors, families, tourists and trades people who are willing to wait up to 20 minutes for a meal on busy days, Cook said. Since Cook currently does not pay rent on her piece of the highway right-of-way, she has been able to keep prices low, making only a modest income from her business."It has made my living and I've worked hard at it but I'm not driving a Porsche," she said.As September inches closer, restaurant regulars have been mourning the end of their favourite Britannia Beach dining spot."It's unfortunate for a landmark like this to have to cease," said Vancouver resident Scott Sinclair. He said he has frequented the restaurant for its hamburgers for more than 20 years. While he said he hopes Cook can relocate somewhere, he noted she would be missed in Britannia Beach."It's really part of the community," he said, adding that families who stop for the food often end up exploring the nearby General Store.Robert Tunold, who works at the BC Museum of Mining compared the move to taking the steam clock out of Vancouver's Gastown."It's one of the main attractions in this town." As Cook continues to serve people like Tunold, she admitted it is hard not to think about how few weeks she has left in the bus as it is forced to close just shy of its 25th anniversary."It's coming, I can count the days actually," she said.
