Earlier this week, rumours were rife that Del Boy and Rodney had upped sticks from Peckham and moved to the historic market town.
The yellow three-wheeled van made famous in the iconic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses was seen driving through Epsom market, before it was parked opposite The Assembly Rooms and its owner disappeared.
But the Epsom Guardian can now reveal that the wheeling and dealing duo had not popped into The Ashley Centre for a quick shop.
The van instead belongs to Paul Dodkin, who runs the Green Machine burger van in Epsom market, who had to drive the vehicle to work while his car was being repaired.
Mr Dodkin, from Epsom, has owned the replica of the Trotters' van for five years, which he bought for £6,000 and which he said dates back to 1968.
His van, which has a top cruising speed of 40mph, can be hired for weddings and funerals and has appeared in magazines and on television.
The 51-year-old said: "I absolutely love it. Sometimes I dress up in a Batman outfit and drive around in it.
"It's a Reliant Regal Supervan 3, which is the original model used in Only Fools and Horses.
"A lot of people thought it was a Reliant Robin, but if you look at the Robin, it's got a different shaped front."
Mr Dodkin said he is "seriously thinking" about renaming his burger business Only Food and Sauces and said he used the van to raise money for the Princess Alice Hospice last year after his wife Anita lost her battle with cancer.
He said he parked it next to his van and let members of the public have their photograph taken with it in return for a small donation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel