Thousands of people have pressured government officials who ordered a famous chef to demolish an unauthorized covered dining area at his upscale eatery.
The Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen star Mark Hix, 60, is outraged that town hall officials are “defying the will of the people,” and more than 4,000 people have signed a petition in his support.
When construction laws were reduced during the pandemic, the structure was created to provide more outside dining area for Mr. Hix’s Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis, Dorset.
However, council members contend that the three-tiered wooden decking is no longer a “permanent construction” and have ordered Mr. Hix eight weeks to remove it because it encroaches on municipal property.
Mr. Hix asserts that practically every restaurant in the harbor town supports him, and he accuses the Lyme Regis Town Council of being “anti-business.”
He worries that if he loses the £20,000 outside area he built, the restaurant may have to shut.
In addition, Mr. Hix said that the council would lose $14,500 year in business taxes and ancillary income from consumers.
I’m angry, it’s so annoying, and there’s nothing more I can do, he yelled.
“I would want everyone to join that petition to demonstrate just how unpopular it will be when it is removed,” she said.
“The mayor assisted me in opening the balcony space, so when he voted to demolish it, I was shocked.
Sadly, it seems that the council is not paying attention since they are going against the will of the people.
The community’s support has been “wonderful,” Mr. Hix said, and everyone is doing “all” they can to assist him. However, he said he wasn’t sure what he would do if the council continued to insist that it be taken down by the end of March.
According to the official statement from The Oyster & Fish House, “A petition has been started to preserve the deck and shared with us to spread the message.”
If sufficient numbers of people sign it by February 8th, it will be addressed at the next council meeting on February 15th.
In the 14 years that The Oyster & Fish House has been open, the space that this deck sits on has been an unused patch of grass next to the restaurant.
We really doubt that it was ever utilized before we opened.
“The present deck gives a location to relax and enjoy the view, as well as enabling parents to securely observe their children in the mini-golf, without obstructing anyone’s views of anything in the garden.
The area is improved, and it also provides individuals with a secure place to eat if they do not feel comfortable eating indoors after the epidemic, according to a lot of the comments we have received.
The council would get a projected yearly rent payment of £14.5k, but they don’t seem to care.
“We are equally all extremely furious and disturbed. We all put forth a lot of effort to build a fantastic restaurant with excellent cuisine and service.
We don’t want the deck to fall, and we also don’t want to lose our employment if it has a negative impact on the firm.
The government was pretty clear on what you could have in the area, said to Graham Turner, one of the seven council members who voted against the decking.
Tables and chairs could be used as temporary sitting, but they had to be brought inside at night. I’m afraid the decking is unacceptable and does not have municipal approval.
Technically, since he lacks authority, the construction is unlawful. He has until the end of March to get rid of it, but we have granted him an extension.
“There is no mechanism for appealing; we control the land.” We will issue enforcement notifications if it is still there by that time.
Technically, because it is an unlawful building, we could descend and remove it ourselves.
The whole situation has soured a little, but if he gets away with leaving it alone, the next person will believe they can construct anything and inquire afterwards.
»Thousands petition to save Dorset’s Oyster and Fish House deck«