DECLARE	@strVariable VARCHAR(100)

SELECT	@strVariable = '| hello | world | I love sql server'

SELECT	CASE
		WHEN SUBSTRING( @strVariable, 1, 1 ) = '|'
		THEN SUBSTRING( @strVariable, 2, LEN( @strVariable ) - 1 )
		ELSE @strVariable
	END Variable

DECLARE @strVariable VARCHAR(100)

SELECT  @strVariable = '| hello | world | I love sql server'

SELECT CASE SUBSTRING(@strVariable, 1, 1)
         WHEN '|'
           THEN SUBSTRING(@strVariable, 2, LEN(@strVariable) - 1)
         ELSE @strVariable
       END Variable

SELECT CASE CHARINDEX('|', @strVariable)
         WHEN 1
           THEN SUBSTRING(@strVariable, 2, LEN(@strVariable) - 1)
         ELSE @strVariable
       END Variable

DECLARE @strVariable VARCHAR(100)

SELECT  @strVariable = '| hello | world | I love sql server'

--== Only strip out the first character if it is a pipe.

SELECT @strVariable = STUFF(@strVariable,1,1,'')
WHERE LEFT(@strVariable,1) = '|'

SELECT @strVariable

--== If the first character is a pipe, stuff it in the bin otherwise don't

SELECT CASE
	  WHEN LEFT(YourColumn,1)='|' THEN STUFF(YourColumn ,1,1,'')
	  ELSE YourColumn
       END as StrippedPipe
FROM YourTable

declare @str varchar(500);
set @str = '| hello | world | I love sql server';
select stuff(@str, 1, 2, '');