New outdoor eating licences could bring a more 'continental feel' to Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth and boost trade

Councillors have been told they have no choice but to allow new pavement licences across Warwick district even though some raised concerns about the new legislation.

It is hoped that the new measures, which will see the council charge £100 for the licence, will boost town centre cafes and pubs and create a Continental feel with customers eating al fresco.

Cllr Tony Heath (Ind, Whitnash) explained to this week’s [WED] full council meeting of Warwick District Council the process that would be involved.

He said: “Up until now the county council has issued licences for cafes etc to use the pavements and they have charged £120 a year. Their proposal is that they withdraw these licences from everyone who should now apply for a new licence from the district council which will take two weeks to administer - one week for consultation and the other week for the decision.

“These licences will only exist up to September 2021. If they are successful and we are looking at a Euro-style cafe culture then I’m sure they will be repeated but we don’t know at this particular point in time.”

But the new scheme prompted concerns with Cllr Alan Boad (Lib Dem, Leamington Lillington) asking: “With all this clutter where you would normally walk, what safeguards have been put in place for all those with visual problems so they don’t fall over and break their necks?”

And Cllr Neale Murphy admitted: “I have many concerns. If we go onto the pavement then you can’t get around them. You are also limiting space - we have a two-metre rule at the moment and we are going against the advice we are giving to our citizens.”

Graham Leach, the council’s democratic services manager and deputy monitoring officer, explained that councillors had no option but to issue the licences and that the process would be delegated to the head of health and community protection.

He said: “I think you need to be mindful here that this is a piece of legislation that has royal assent and we are required to implement it and receive these applications. What you are doing is putting the process in place for handling the applications.”

And Cllr Ian Davidson (Green, Leamington Brunswick) added: “We should be well aware that there is a Covid emergency going on so the strength of opinions that have been raised so far are really important but I would say that they are not as important as the need to stay safe and if we say we are not allowing any cafes to extend outside what you are implying is either they go bust or that they have to have lots of people inside which is a far greater risk.”