Lyme Regis: Councillors' fear over Mark Hix restaurant lease (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: Councillors' fear over Mark Hix restaurant lease

12:00pm Wednesday 27th June 2012 in Lyme Regis By Rene Gerryts

HE may be a top-name chef but Lyme Regis Town Councillors don’t want Mark Hix to advertise his restaurant from its balcony.

Lyme Regis town councillors demanded to see the details on a lease of the balcony for his Oyster and Fish House restaurant after fearing it was going to be cluttered by four signs.

Lyme Regis Town Council is in negotiation with the Hix Oyster and Fish House over the lease to allow the restaurant to site a balcony over a section of the Lister Gardens.

Legal points on the lease are being finalised but before anything is signed councillors wanted to make it quite clear they wouldn’t allow any signs on the balcony.

Councillors at the last full council meeting thought the number excessive and at last week’s policy and strategy meeting discussed the terms of the lease and made it absolutely clear signs were not to be part of the deal.

They also fixed the rent for the balcony at £4,000 per year.

Now the draft lease will go back to Mr Hix to see if he is willing to sign.

Mr Hix said he had no comment on the signs but said he was having to pay much more rent per seat for the balcony than that fixed for the seafront.

He said there was no explanation as to why that was: “It is much higher than they pay on the seafront per seat and I haven’t got a clue why that is, there is no explanation for it.

“We are all bemused why the rent is higher than on the seafront itself.”

Mr Hix opened the restaurant in Lyme Regis in 2008.

The chef is from west Dorset originally but made his name in London working for top restaurants such as The Ivy.

He also appeared on television, including the Great British Menu, and writes for the Independent newspaper.

Mr Hix’s portfolio also includes restaurants in London.