THE family of a Tavistock man who spent most of his working life feeding young and old from his iconic burger van have spoken emotionally about his love of the town and its people.

Graham Goldring, who ran the Grub Up burger van from a layby on the A386 at the entrance to Tavistock for 30 years, was described by his wife Valerie and sons Richard and Robbie as ‘unique’ and a ‘larger than life’ character whose death last week has left a massive hole in the community.

A social hub, Grub Up was where people met and enjoyed good company as well as good food from 7.30am to 2.30pm each day.

Over a piping hot cup of coffee or a bacon and egg roll, friendships were made and memories shared. Graham relished it.

‘Grub Up was Dad’s life,’ said his eldest son Richard. ‘It was more than a job to him. Superman got his powers from the sun but Dad got his powers from the people. That is what fed him as a person. He loved this town and the people in it.

‘As a family we want to say thank you to everyone who supported Dad and we are going to miss them as much as they will miss Dad and the business. The loyalty people have shown to Grub Up over the last 30 years has just been fantastic. Dad always said he would rather die working at Grub Up than retire. In the end ill health overtook him, but if it was his choice he would have carried on for years.’

Famously remembered for contributing towards the closure of McDonald’s in Tavistock, one of only two in the country that were shut down through lack of business, Grub Up was a constantly busy place, in all weathers. Lorry drivers would order their hot dogs and bacon butties in advance to be sure to get a filling snack en route to their destinations and locals would huddle round the van in their droves, eager to tuck into a legendary Steakwich or challenging Gutbuster.

‘People liked the food because it was fresh and all local,’ said Valerie, Graham’s wife of 46 years and also his business partner. ‘They would have to wait for it to be freshly cooked but nobody ever minded. No-one got annoyed, they just enjoyed the social side and so did we. It was our social life and it was somewhere people could come if they were feeling a bit lonely or down. People used to call us the “Frank and Peggy Mitchell” (from BBC soap opera Eastenders) of Tavistock. Graham cheered people up and everybody who knew him remembers him with a smile. Everybody has a little story about Graham. There are hundreds of stories we could tell about him.’

Richard remembered: ‘Dad used to feed people from all walks of life, there was no class barrier at Grub Up. Customers ranged from dustmen to Royal Family bodyguards. People came from all over the world and an American said once that Dad’s burger was the best he had ever tasted. Dad had Get Stuffed at Grub Up stickers, hats and clocks made and they went as far as Australia.’

Robbie added: ‘My friends used to call my dad Del Boy (from TV show Only Fools and Horses) because he was always out for a good deal. When he gave you a burger you half expected him to open his coat and offer you a gold chain as well. He was not a textbook dad but there was never a dull moment.’

A big sports fan and a former golf pro, Graham was a great supporter of the local sports teams, sponsoring many team strips. He was chairman of Lamerton Community Football Club for a time — last Saturday’s game at Lamerton was dedicated to the Grub Up entrepreneur.

Since Graham and Valerie’s daughter Caroline sadly died of cancer in 2014, a special memorial football match called Caroline’s Cup has been held each year as part of the Tavistock Specials Son-Rise Cup tournament, raising hundreds of pounds for charity.

The blue, white and red colours of the Caroline Cup team strips match British Airways’ colours, as Caroline was a member of the airline’s cabin crew.

For five years Graham also ran Grub Up from Bedford Square with Dave Grylls and Glen Johnson on Friday and Saturday nights, providing young people with something to do and somewhere to go: ‘A lot of people remember Friday and Saturday nights in Bedford Square as the best times when Dad was there,’ added Richard. ‘So many people have great memories of our dad.’

Co-founder of the Son-Rise Cup and the Tavistock Specials football team, Allen Lewis, who was a good friend of Graham, remembered him with affection.

‘Graham Goldring was a Tavistock legend,’ he said. ‘He will be sorely missed by the whole community.  He was a great supporter of the Tavistock Specials and very happy to be a trustee of the Son-Rise Special Trust. The trustees, committee and members all send their love to Valerie, Richard and Robbie.’

Richie Bolgiani of Tavistock Football Club said: ‘Graham was a real gent.

‘He always knew how to brighten up your day whether it be with a great joke or an ear to lend. Tavistock has lost a great man who was a legend just because he was himself.’

Graham’s funeral will be held at Bodmin Crematorium for close family and friends on December 1 and a suitably fitting celebration of his life is being planned for people to pay their respects in Tavistock.

One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of the best quality burgers and hot dogs, in true Graham Goldring style.