Bristol sandwich bar refused permission for hot food takeaway
A couple who won city council approval for their sandwich bar are at the centre of a row about hot food cooked on site.
Robert and Sharon Moore say they opened their Food For You bar in Parson Street, Bedminster, in July and have already won a three-star rating for cleanliness.
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But their application for permission to cook bacon and egg for customers has been turned down – first, by the council, then by a Government inspector on appeal.
The couple are angry because they say the Spar store, two doors down, does have permission to sell freshly cooked food.
Mr Moore said: "It's not fair – and it is affecting our business.
"With winter coming on, customers will want sandwiches with hot fillings, not cold ones."
But the council says it has dealt with the Moores' case properly.
Spokeswoman Kate Hartas told the Evening Post: "Spar sells a few pasties as a sideline to their main business.
"Food For You has established a significant hot food operation which alters the planning permission needed.
"The sandwich bar has the same permission as the Spar – retail with ancillary hot food.
"The owner applied for planning permission for a hot food takeaway, which is much more difficult to achieve, as it involves more impact on the local community in terms of parking, odour, litter and nuisance.
"The hot food takeaway permission was refused – both by the council and by the Government inspector on appeal.
"The shop has since been the subject of enforcement action as more hot food has been served than the planning permission allows.
"If the council does not challenge this, and the shop continues to operate unofficially as a hot food takeaway, the shop would be able to change its use as an established business.
"The council has a duty to prevent this from happening, as the permission has been refused in the best interests of the neighbourhood."
A spokeswoman for Spar said: "Steve Metcalfe, the owner of the Spar store, has had planning permission for hot food for years.
"Spar has no further comment to make on the matter."
4 Comments
by GingerRog, Bristol
Sunday, November 23 2008, 6:41PM
“@ M Hughes
Thanks for telling us. The article doesn't give any of the information you have provided.”
by M Hughes, Bristol
Sunday, November 23 2008, 12:50PM
“This really takes the 'sandwich' Spar have traded in Parson Street for many years and the food they provide is just a small part of their comprehensive business.
The impact of 'Food For You' premises are a cause for concern;safe parking is almost impossible as its on a junction and bend and is very narrow , The 'Food For You' business is in the middle of a residentail terrace of Victorian homes where the deveopment of a hot-food outlet could cause difficulties and inconvenience for the community; parking is horrendous in that area; on a junction, on a bend, narrow, close to a school, on the route ot the depot for huge articulated lorries., the pavement is also very narrow and heavily used by pedestrians. Such businesses are also likely to create noise and possibly litter not to mention the cooking fumes, which despite being 'extracted' they will go over the private gardens of three residentail roads that back onto the rear of these premises.
The locality has already several hot-food premises within a five minute walk so is another really necessary.
in an area with several hot-food outlets within a 5 minute walk and”
by GingerRog, Bristol
Friday, November 21 2008, 6:51PM
“These sandwiches sound good to me. Spars are allowed to sell their pastries on the counter in a hot food container - which sometimes have been there for so long - give this couple a chance!!”
by Norton Spencer, Chipping Sodbury
Friday, November 21 2008, 4:54PM
“Obviously making sure food hygiene is satisfactory is incredibly important, particularly in the current economical climate. However as winter sets in and we don our caps and scarves, a thoroughly warmed bagle or pastry dish can warm souls across Bristol. So...give em a chance chuck!”