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Pavement charges refunded after 14-year council error

Ros TappendenSouth of England
News imageLove Lyme Regis Larry Gibbons and Tom Robinson stand outside their cafes which are next door to each other. Tom is wearing a white chef's jacket and has his arms folded. Larry is wearing black jeans and a jacket and has his hands in his pockets.Love Lyme Regis
Larry Gibbons (left) and Tom Robinson had paid thousands in pavement licence fees

Business owners on a Dorset seafront are to be refunded tens of thousands of pounds after they were wrongly billed for putting tables and chairs on the pavement.

Eateries in Lyme Regis, Dorset, had been paying thousands of pounds for pavement licences, despite a nationwide cap of £500 for new licences and £350 for renewals.

Following a lengthy dispute with traders, Lyme Regis Town Council has agreed to repay the charges affecting nine premises, dating back to 2012.

Town clerk John Wright said: "We think we've acted in good faith, historically. We realise now there was an error, we put our hands up to it and what we are trying to do is remedy it as quickly as we can."

The scale of the refunds has not yet been made public but Largigi Cafe owner Larry Gibbons said he had been paying £4,500 a year to the town council for his outside tables.

The town council also said some of the premises had been occupied by more than one business over the last 14 years.

News imageTom's Lyme Regis Tom Robinson looking down and smiling as he prepares a drink at the bar off his restaurant while wearing his white chef's jacket. He has short dark hair and a short full beard.Tom's Lyme Regis
Tom Robinson said it was "very nice" to get the money back

Tom Robinson, chef and owner of Tom's Lyme Regis seafood restaurant, said he had been charged £3,500 a year.

Speaking to Radio Solent's Dorset breakfast show, he said the town council had "acted very swiftly and professionally".

"It's been a very frustrating cost and it seemed unjust and expensive but I'm pleased it's been dealt with," he said.

"It's been a conversation, two years in the making.

"There are pinches in hospitality at the moment and we could really do with the money so we are very happy."

Traders had initially objected to the "excessive" charges but, during the dispute, it emerged that Marine Parade was a public highway and therefore covered by the national price cap.

It also meant the charge was payable to Dorset Council and not the town council.

News imageLove Lyme Regis View looking down on cafe tables and red umbrellas outside a cafe on the promenade at Lyme Regis. It's a sunny summer's day and people are sitting at the tables, walking along the promenade and the beach and shore is packed with people.Love Lyme Regis
Largigi Cafe said it paid £4,500 a year to the town council for its outside tables and chairs

Wright said: "It is embarrassing - we thought we had the power to levy that charge and we entered into an agreement with the predecessor of Dorset Council back in 2011.

"It's come to light recently that we don't have those powers.

"It was only just before Christmas when we had a meeting with Dorset Council and one of their directors said he believed that charge was unlawful and the whole extent of Marine Parade was a public highway.

"We own Marine Parade, even though it is a highway."

Wright said the refunds would be paid from the council's reserves.

"The council holds a reserve of £1m... for expenditure that's material and unplanned," he said.

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