Torquay licensees slam local council's 600% fee increase for outdoor seating
Torbay Council has been slammed by pub operators in the seaside resort who believe such a fee rise could kill the town as a tourist destination and spell the end of their businesses.
While the higher fees will affect only a handful of venues on Torquay’s harbourside, other licensees in the town are fearful of the wider impact of the price hikes.
The council is charging £4,000 for 20 tables (£200 per four-seat table) in some cases and explained that the new charges are intended to reflect the market value of the properties.
Mac Jabadi, owner of Shiraz bar, could see the annual charge for his pavement café licence rise from just under £1,000 to almost £7,000, a price he said he can’t afford.
“It is very unfair and almost seems as though the council likes seeing empty shops and bars,” he explained. “I just don’t know how they can justify the increases — it will be the end of tourism in Torquay.”
Hilary Twydell, licensee of the Clocktower pub, added: “Torquay is suffering more from the recession than neighbouring areas and I don’t understand the council’s mentality in targeting pubs and restaurants that suffered so much last summer.”
Town-centre manager Rachael Weaver expressed disappointment that businesses were not consulted about the fees and suggested that it was just a “revenue exercise” for the council.
Meanwhile, solicitor Andy Grimsey, of law firm Poppleston Allen, hinted that the council could face legal action over its proposals.
He said: “If Torbay Council’s charges are considered to be excessive then they could be subject to judicial review for acting outside their powers, in the same way that similar challenges have been made in respect of sex shops and public entertainment licences in the past.”
A Torbay Council spokesman said: “The council has, in the past, only charged businesses for the administration of issuing a pavement café licence. However, if the council owns the land in question, it has a duty to ensure that it charges an appropriate fee on behalf of the residents of Torbay.”
