Plans for a stall to continue selling coffees and donuts in Cheltenham town centre will be debated next week. William Danter wants to renew his street trading consent to sell hot and cold food and drink from a traditional English barrow in High Street outside Next and House of Tweed.
Mr Danter has applied to Cheltenham Borough Council for annual consent to open the The Little Coffee & Donut Stall from 9.30 am to 6pm Monday to Saturdays and from 11am to 5pm on Sundays. The application has been referred to be considered by the licensing sub-committee at the Municipal Offices next week after a complaint was lodged from the letting agent from the nearby premises.
A complaint was sent to the council in November on behalf of the owners of the recently acquired former Carphone Warehouse store at 143-145 High Street. The complaint said that when trying to market the unit to prospective tenants, the feedback they got back was that they would not take on the unit due to the presence of the donut stall outside.
The complainant also highlighted that the lack of any tenants would mean that the council would not be receiving full business rates for the property, according to the report to be presented at the council meeting. The complainant has also raised concerns about public safety.
However, the council’s licensing team say they have not had any other complaints or reports of incidents from members of the public or relevant authorities such as Gloucestershire Highways or the police. Licensing officers have met with the letting agent to mediate concerns. However, his concerns regarding long term tenants remain.
One of the ward councillors also requested that a suitable compromise was sought for the benefit of the council’s business rates income. Mr Danter said in an email to the council in December that they have had permission to change the stall from a barrow style to a more contemporary and smarter stall back in 2019.
William Danter said the stall has been located in this position without incident or complaint since 2014 and that the position, style and shape of stall was chosen to minimise blocking sight lines to the shops.
(Image: CBC/William Danter)
“This had still not been updated this year,” he said. “I worked with the late Kevan Blackadder who was head of Cheltenham Business Improvement District at the time to make sure that the business community were happy with the design and look, even though this was up to licensing and the council.”
He also said in the email that the stall has been located in this position without incident or complaint since 2014 and that the position, style and shape of stall was chosen to minimise blocking sight lines to the shops.
“The stall seats between the grey line and roadside kerb,” he said. “This is in line with all the posts, post box, bike racks, lamp post, utility boxes and bins.”
Councillors will consider the licence renewal at the meeting scheduled for 6pm on January 8.