Leigh cafe banned from selling tables and chairs

7:00pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Southend

Forty Two Forty Two

SUSPICIOUS councillors smelt a rat when a cafe banned from expansion tried to set up a new business next door - selling tables and chairs.

Members of Southend Council’s development control committee gave the bid by the owners of Forty Two, in Broadway, Leigh, short shrift when it came before them.

The cafe is based in the back of its building and banned from using the front for serving customers.

But its owners asked for planning permission to convert the front into a shop which would display tables and chairs for sale.

Chris Walker, a Tory councillor for Eastwood Park, said: “Call me a cynic, but I don’t believe this shop is going to be used for selling.

“I cannot see this as a serious application.”

Mike Grimwade, Lib Dem councillor for Prittlewell, added: “I’m also very suspicious about this.

“The fact it is for tables and chairs - that just doesn’t ring true to me.”

Government planning inspectors granted permission for part of the building in which the cafe as based to be used for selling food and drink in 2008.

However, in order to preserve the shopping frontage of the Broadway, they insisted the front of the building would have to remain a store and no tables or chairs could be placed there.

In their application, the cafe’s owners claimed they had been approached by a furniture business which was interested in using the space to display its goods.

However, councillors said there was no way they could control which customers would be genuine visitors to the shop and which would be visiting the cafe.

The business’s owners are already being pursued through the courts by council chiefs for previously flouting the ban on using the front of the building.

Councillors threw out the application on the grounds it would undermine the previous decision by planning inspectors.

No one from Forty Two was available for comment.

Comments (14)

7:02pm Wed 16 Jan 13

mys842 says...

Hilarious, just spend the money on more suitable premises maybe?
Hilarious, just spend the money on more suitable premises maybe? mys842

7:41pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Keptquiettillnow says...

Isnt the site of 42 the old Pricketts shop, the furniture makers?
Isnt the site of 42 the old Pricketts shop, the furniture makers? Keptquiettillnow

8:57pm Wed 16 Jan 13

DogsMessInLeigh says...

This made me laugh...i like their style and cheeky way of thinking....but what if it got passed, they still could not put bums on the chairs could they...? Window tables and chairs would attract more custom for sure, and i always wondered why you could never see people in the place...they are all sitting down the back..!!!
yes should of thought about this when taking the place on...still they have got the outside bit on the side, must be missing out though especially as all the other places around them have seating everywhere.
This made me laugh...i like their style and cheeky way of thinking....but what if it got passed, they still could not put bums on the chairs could they...? Window tables and chairs would attract more custom for sure, and i always wondered why you could never see people in the place...they are all sitting down the back..!!! yes should of thought about this when taking the place on...still they have got the outside bit on the side, must be missing out though especially as all the other places around them have seating everywhere. DogsMessInLeigh

8:58pm Wed 16 Jan 13

DogsMessInLeigh says...

just to add theres tables and chairs in the photo the echo used....are they for sale..?
just to add theres tables and chairs in the photo the echo used....are they for sale..? DogsMessInLeigh

9:04pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Carnabackable says...

Double their rates.....
Double their rates..... Carnabackable

10:30pm Wed 16 Jan 13

cazza says...

They have had tables and chairs in the front more or less since they opened, the only difference is there was a drinks cabinet/freezer which has now disappeared. The owners have pushed their luck right from the start as they didn't get what they wanted and have been in trouble more than once for breaching conditions. Oh and there is rarely anyone in there anyway - highly overpriced. Birdwoods Bakery does a far better trade
They have had tables and chairs in the front more or less since they opened, the only difference is there was a drinks cabinet/freezer which has now disappeared. The owners have pushed their luck right from the start as they didn't get what they wanted and have been in trouble more than once for breaching conditions. Oh and there is rarely anyone in there anyway - highly overpriced. Birdwoods Bakery does a far better trade cazza

10:33pm Wed 16 Jan 13

jaguarxxv says...

The story is that 42 is up for sale.
The story is that 42 is up for sale. jaguarxxv

10:51pm Wed 16 Jan 13

cazza says...

I heard all his places in Leigh are up for sale. Forty Two hasn't been open for a couple of weeks but not sure why
I heard all his places in Leigh are up for sale. Forty Two hasn't been open for a couple of weeks but not sure why cazza

8:03am Thu 17 Jan 13

jaguarxxv says...

I know that a Southend bar is interested in Rio (old Vie Bar), now almost empty most nights.
I know that a Southend bar is interested in Rio (old Vie Bar), now almost empty most nights. jaguarxxv

12:24pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Eric Whim says...

another empty unit looms
another empty unit looms Eric Whim

12:58pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Eutraveller says...

Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food.
The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good)
Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food. The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good) Eutraveller

6:29pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Max Impact says...

Eutraveller wrote:
Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food.
The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good)
Planning laws are there for each and everyone of us to follow, how would you like it if your neighbours extended their house so it over looked your garden without getting planning permission first?
[quote][p][bold]Eutraveller[/bold] wrote: Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food. The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good)[/p][/quote]Planning laws are there for each and everyone of us to follow, how would you like it if your neighbours extended their house so it over looked your garden without getting planning permission first? Max Impact

11:24am Fri 18 Jan 13

Alekhine says...

Max Impact wrote:
Eutraveller wrote: Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food. The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good)
Planning laws are there for each and everyone of us to follow, how would you like it if your neighbours extended their house so it over looked your garden without getting planning permission first?
Nobody is building anything, the structure is already there. Who will be inconvenienced?

Having rules for the sake of rules is nonesense and costs money (just ask the EU).
[quote][p][bold]Max Impact[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Eutraveller[/bold] wrote: Why not let people make a living, who are these councillors !! tell me how the world will become a worse place if they put tables and chairs in the room and serve food. The premises is good for nothing else nowadays, the entire street has been killed by councillors being unnecessarily rigid on use, the world has changed, everybody goes to the out of town shopping parks, let the Broadway live again as a foodie area. The more the better, they will not kill each others business, they will attract even more customers. (if they are any good)[/p][/quote]Planning laws are there for each and everyone of us to follow, how would you like it if your neighbours extended their house so it over looked your garden without getting planning permission first?[/p][/quote]Nobody is building anything, the structure is already there. Who will be inconvenienced? Having rules for the sake of rules is nonesense and costs money (just ask the EU). Alekhine

6:24pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Antonius says...

Well the Estuary Cafe got away with it.
Well the Estuary Cafe got away with it. Antonius

Comments are closed on this article.

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