Lyme Regis: The Bay Hotel's Brendon Cable 'between rock and hard place' (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: The Bay Hotel's Brendon Cable 'between rock and hard place'

10:30am Friday 27th April 2012 in Lyme Regis

LYME Regis town councillors have told hotelier Brendon Cable he may have to pay annual charges for an awning outside The Bay Hotel.

But Mr Cable, who paid £30,000 for his awning, says additional payment on top of £4,800 for tables and chairs may make it unviable.

At last week’s full council meeting councillors finally agreed he could put the awning up but legal advice was that the awning was a benefit to his business and the council could charge him accordingly.

Town clerk Mike Lewis suggested removing the first year’s 50 per cent discount for licensing tables and chairs at the hotel.

But councillors could not decide what to charge him or whether to charge him at all and agreed to consider it at their next strategy and policy meeting.

Coun Daryl Turner argued the council should be trying to support businesses in a difficult economic climate.

He said: “I don’t think charges should be in the proposition in any way whatsoever.”

Coun Lorna Jenkins said it would not be fair to leave a decision on charges until the next meeting.

Coun Anita Williams said she thought there was scope for charging, as did Coun Lucy Campbell and Coun Mark Gage.

Coun Gage said: “I think the reduction is a sensible way forward.”

After the meeting Mr Cable said he was left ‘between a rock and a hard place’.