A “garish and unsightly” Brighton chippy which has tiled an area of pavement outside its shop has been ordered to remove it.
Fish and Chips built a concrete ramp and seating area outside its Preston Street restaurant in March 2020 – but did not bother to get permission for it beforehand.
Owner Abbanoub Salama finally submitted an application in July 2021, which was refused – and now, Brighton and Hove City Council has issued an enforcement notice, requiring it to be ripped out by the end of November.
The restaurant has been told to remove the tile cladding, handrails, glass balustrade, ramp, steps, raised platform, black and white floor tiles, planter tiles and to make good the render once they’re gone.
It’s also required to remove an external flue on the side of the building.
When turning down the 2021 application, planning officer Emily Stanbridge said the outside seating area appears: “crude, poorly designed and at odds with the appearance of the front elevation and other seating areas on Preston Street which retain an open character.
“In addition, it is considered that the flooring also interrupts the material palette with an unsuitable pattern. The black and white tiles are visually intrusive over such a large, raised frontage.”
Of the signs, she said: “Overall, it is considered that the choice of material, the excessive size and the positioning of the signage in relation to the host building, would appear out of character and harm the appearance of the shopfront and wider streetscene.”
In summer 2020, the chippy failed in a bid to get a series of temporary late licences, which it applied for in the hope of proving it would not add to drink-related crime and disorder in the area.
Mr Salama’s previous application for a permanent 5am licence had been rejected a few months before.
At least this ‘chippy’ left some of the pavement available for pedestrians to walk on. Quite a few establishments in Brighton have co-opted almost the entire pavement (in some cases even roping the public pavement off) making progress for those in wheelchairs, pushing buggies/prams or needing mobility aids extremely difficult…
That was my thought too. I have trouble understanding why people want to sit in the polluted, noisy, dirty, streets anyway – unless it’s down to the indoor smoking ban and the desire to feel, or be seen acting, as if they’re on holiday somewhere with better weather.
What’s the problem?
The restaurant have supplied a safe ramp for wheelchair users and others including the elderly and disabled in other ways to be able to use.
BHCC can’t commit to carrying out the basic services of rubhish removal or weed removal which the residents pay them to do via Council Tax, but here they are, able to tell a private business person who has contributed to the community that they have done wrong!
We need a Public Enquiry into BHCC!
BHCC will be bankrupt within the 4 years under Labour.
Absolute nonsense you’re chatting
They literally stole the pavement!
Including from the disabled and elderly you are so concerned about,
Plus there is a pavement level entrance to the left – no theft of public space required.
The place looks great! It’s clean and well sectioned! The ramp helps those who have disabilities or using a wheelchair. I frequent the place, also the chippy. Have to say, many other places do not offer easy access.
The council should focus on existing issues, which of there are many, and leave business alone who do not harm anyone, quite the opposite!
On top of this, there are many, hundreds of other places who are actually blocking the pavement!
Also, to the author of this post: “garish and unsightly”? Literally right next door, there is an obnoxious bright pink off license. How isn’t that part of the conversation?
Let’s be clear, this has nothing to do with the aesthetic choices. This is about taking over pavement that they were not entitled to.
I think this is a shame . There is nothing wrong with the aesthetic look of the outside it is clean and ramped and the owner clearly takes a pride in their business. I think this is such a poor decision and unnecessary.