THE owners of a Minehead café could face legal action after installing an unauthorised marquee within the grounds of the premises - apparently with the blessing of cabinet member and Minehead Mayor Cllr Nick Messarra. Members of West Somerset District Council's planning committee were told last Thursday that the owners of Café Nouveau in The Avenue had ignored verbal and written advice that the erection of a marquee would require planning permission. But in a statement, the owners Mr and Mrs Green said the marquee was well hidden, neighbours had no objections and Cllr Messarra had welcomed the venture. They said: "The marquee cannot be seen by the public either from The Avenue or the public car park to the rear. "From the outset we considered building a permanent structure, probably a conservatory, but seeing there is such a mixture of building styles and frontages, the majority of which are unattractive i.e. the Co-Op, Woolworths, Kwik Save etc, a marquee seemed a more in keeping structure. "When we discussed the whole project with the Mayor Cllr Nick Messarra from both points, namely business and structure, his views as the economic regeneration development portfolio holder and business liaison [were that] we were bringing an exciting and imaginative idea to Minehead." Councillors were told the 11 metres by 5.5 metres structure had been put up in March and the café owners served with a planning contravention notice in June. Officers estimated the marquee was of such a scale it would take around three people up to two-and- a-half hours to dismantle. The committee was told the café owners intended to remove the marquee in October or November and had opted to put up a tent as they believed it to be a temporary structure. Officers advised the committee the tent did require planning permission and was out of keeping with the surrounding conservation area. The committee authorised officers to issue an enforcement notice to ensure the removal of the marquee within 28 days of the notice being served.
