Angry street traders are fighting moves to turf them out of their prime town centre locations as part of a multi-million pound regeneration.

Vendors of doughnuts, mobile phones, burgers and hot dogs say they greatly add to overall appeal of Swindon's shopping centre but may be kicked off their spots in six weeks.

Retailers are split over whether the stall-holders, who have been there for many years, should be moved on in a bid to create a more upmarket shopping complex.

However, Peter James, the chief executive of the New Swindon Company, which is overseeing the town centre's regeneration, has described the kiosks as poor quality, grubby and smelly.

Councillors will decide later this month whether to ban the traders by designating Wellington, Havelock and Regent streets as prohibited areas.

The council's licensing officer Lionel Starling said it was clear that in all three cases there was significant customer demand "otherwise they would not have survived over a long period".

In a letter to the council, Mr James said in certain circumstances street trading, such as a flower stall or seasonal stands, brought life and vibrancy to town centres.

But he said: "The current kiosks are of poor quality, grubby and smelly. People have little respect for them and the immediate area is therefore deteriorating.

"The aspirations for the town are high and if these street traders remain it will be almost impossible to create a place where people what to visit and enjoy."

Howard Grace, of asset managers CIT, the clients of which clients own Swindon's Brunel shopping centre said the two food stalls were responsible for smells, litter and food waste on the pavements. He said: "However, the greatest impact is that both barrows attract undesirables who congregate around the statue (of Brunel) and are an intimidating presence."

Mark Ross, of inSwindon which manages the town centre criticised the quality of the street traders as woefully inadequate.

But Biagio Mazzotta, who has been running a doughnut stall in Havelock Square for 11 years, said the business provided the public with something they couldn't get in the shops… fresh doughnuts.

He said: "All towns around the country have mobile traders in the street so why does Swindon have to be different?"

Mr Mazzotta accused the council of messing with his livelihood and said mobile traders should be offered shops as an alternative.

Angelo and Maria Carchedi, both 53, have been trading in Swindon for 11 years and their burger stall's speciality is the Brockwurst hot-dog in a roll-over roll.

This, they say, is a healthy hot-dog that is boiled rather than fried, and is a mainstay of their kiosk, which turns-over £56,000 a year.

In a letter to the council, their solicitors said: "Our clients' business draws people into town, a fundamental asset to any regeneration programme.

"Our clients are prepared to take any reasonable step to renovate/renew their mobile kiosk to fit the image of the regeneration."

Graham and Julie O'Grady have been selling mobile phone accessories from outside Woolworth for nine years, turning-over £150,000 a year with a net profit of more than £80,000.

Their letter says: "We have an excellent relationship with every phone retailer in Swindon who send customers to us regularly because they cannot accommodate them."

In support of their plea to be allowed to continue operating in Regent Street, several shop owners and managers have written to the council saying what an important role they play in attracting custom to the town centre.