LEGAL action may be taken to bring the long-closed Blenheim Gardens Cafe, in Minehead, back into public ownership.

Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) agreed to lease the landmark sea front property to an undisclosed tenant in November, 2020, although it took a further year until the legal agreement was ready.

Work immediately started on stripping out the premises, but nearly four years on from its closure the cafe has still not re-opened.

Now, the council is seeking legal opinion on whether it can terminate the licence and lease on the grounds of ‘non-performance’.

A 20-year lease for a rent of £117,500 per year was signed off in 2020 by SWT then-executive Cllr Marcus Kravis after receiving five expressions of interest in refurbishing and renting the cafe.

Cllr Kravis said at the time the ‘financial value and quality’ of the successful bid had been taken into account, including an assessment of ‘the deliverability of the submission’ and ‘their understanding of the works needed to the property, and the bidder’s experience’.

Blenheim Gardens Cafe closed in October, 2018, after the former West Somerset Council increased the rent to a level which manager Suzanne Dean said was unaffordable.

Mrs Dean’s family had run the cafe for 50 years with her parents Kath and Ernie Griffiths taking it over in 1968 and then passing it on to her in 1993.

SWT economic development portfolio holder Cllr Mike Rigby said last week that despite frequent requests the new tenants had still not completed the refurbishment.

Cllr Rigby said the tenants had reported some unexpected structural work was required and had appointed a structural engineer and architect to prepare and submit a planning application.

However, he said the application planning application was still awaited.

The council had continued to chase for regular updates and had now asked for legal opinion on terminating the licence and lease.