Some pubs, restaurants, and cafes in Dundee permitted to set up outside seating during the pandemic could soon be told to pack up the tables and chairs.
Temporary permissions for outside seating granted during Covid will expire at the end of September with all venues required to reapply under stricter rules.
The Ship Inn in Broughty Ferry is one of those to have already been rejected by the local authority.
Officers say a covered seating area built at the front of the premises is no longer permitted.
Owner Steve Cumming is angry at the decision and has accused the council of a lack of support.
He said: “I don’t think Dundee City Council is embracing the hospitality industry.
“Covid is still here and there’s a real danger we could see more cases this winter.
“We have lots of customers who still prefer to sit outside.
“But sadly our wooden structure will come down next Friday on orders from the council.
“We’re not sure if we now need to get new permission for all of our outside seats and tables. We’re trying to get clarity on that but hopefully not.
“Meanwhile, it seems any business on Union Street in the city centre is given permission. It’s very unfair.”
Concerns over safety and visual amenity
Social distancing rules saw businesses across the city and the rest of Scotland rush to set up pavement seating in whatever space they could muster in 2020 and 2021.
Many are still making use of the relaxed rules with seating beside roads and in car parks.
Dundee City Council’s letter to premises states the al fresco zones “may not be supported on a permanent basis” and only high-quality proposals will be permitted.
The local authority says it is worried about the visual impact of such features and is also wary some take up too much public space.
However, it has stressed it recognises the popularity of the new amenities and says a new permit system due to start next year will ensure they are all safely regulated.
With the deadline fast approaching, some have already gained new permits.
But others have struggled to meet the criteria.
Wetherspoon’s pub The Counting House on Reform Street and the Barrelman on Commercial Street have secured permanent permission for al fresco areas.
However, Mr Cumming says rejecting lots of the pavement cafes in place would be detrimental to the city.
He said: “We have had so much support from locals and visitors who love the outside seating.
“I think everyone in Dundee wants to see the city have more for people to do and sitting outside to have a drink and some food is really popular.
“You see tourist destinations like St Andrews with pavement cafes everywhere and I just feel we’ll be left behind if the council forces businesses like ours to take these features away.”
Advocacy group UK Hospitality has been pushing for leniency on outside seating permits for a number of months.
Its Scotland executive director Leon Thompson says the economic impact of Covid and increasing costs of energy and produce has been crippling.
He said: “Anything that creates an obstacle to outside seating is extremely unwelcome and is a retrograde step, particularly given customers are demonstrating just how much they like outdoor seating in Dundee.”
Council ‘encouraging’ pavement cafes
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “Temporary permissions granted for outdoor hospitality during the period of the pandemic are now coming to an end, but in recognition of their popularity the city development committee — which met on September 5 — approved the implementation of a new permit system across the city which will help to ensure that outdoor seating areas meet safety and quality standards.
“It covers a range of aspects of outdoor seating including where open-air hospitality might be encouraged, the permissions needed from the council and others, how applications will be assessed, hours of operation, site cleanliness, good citizenship, furniture and boundaries.
“We continue to encourage the provision of pavement cafés, bars and restaurants in the city but we must be sure that they meet the high standards of safety, cleanliness and quality that everyone expects.”
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