Kebab shop or not?
THERE’S great angst among Broad Street residents, quite understandably, over the possible arrival of a kebab shop.
The planning application submitted by Crewkerne businessman Turguy Sen is listed as a fast food outlet.
But it’s a kebab shop, make no mistake about that.
It’s not the first time there has been a late-night takeaway operating in Broad Street. When I was a young man there was a chicken and chips establishment in the premises now occupied by Ho Ho Silver.
Dozens of us used to pile out of the Big Beat dances at the Marine Theatre at midnight on a Saturday night and congregate outside the chicken and chips joint.
Inevitably, it ended up in an almighty punch up. In those days, the expression “anti-social behaviour” had not been invented. We just referred to it as “a bit of trouble”.
And, of course, this is one of the big fears expressed by those who live in Broad Street. They are not necessarily against a kebab shop in Lyme, after all most seaside towns, no matter how quaint, have some sort of late- night food outlet, but they don’t want it on their doorstep.
Who would?
But the Cauli & Flowers’ shop is part of one of Broad Street’s most historic buildings and it would be difficult to imagine a more unsuitable use for it.
Some will argue that Lyme is already well catered for when it comes to takeaway outlets, particularly on the seafront and down at the Cobb. But none of them stay open particularly late.
Of course, the Lyme Regis Society, who are strongly opposed to a Broad Street kebab shop, maintain that Lyme is a town that does not keep late hours. They are probably right in taking that view.
Whenever we arrive home late I always tell Jackie to drive down Broad Street to “see who’s about”. Generally speaking, there’s never anyone about.
There’s no doubt in my mind that a kebab shop in Broad Street would be a business success, especially in the summer, and by all accounts Mr Sen knows his onions.
He says that car loads of people from Lyme travel over to Crewkerne every week to buy his kebabs. Really?
Many are surprised that the kebab shop plan got past the first planning hurdle but all applications can only be dealt with by using well established and proven criteria.
Lyme Regis Town Council were unanimous in their rejection of the plans, making great play of the pollution that would emanate from a huge exractor flue at the back of the building.
They felt the seven-day operation would “seriously intrude into the essentially residential nature of Broad Street” and would be “detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residences as a result of noise, cooking odours, parking issues and anti-social behaviour”.
They also recommended that the police be consulted in view of the possible late-night activity.
One councillor, David Cozens, did a bit of a Prince Charles and went as far to describe the application as “a festering carbuncle”.
Broad Street residents who attended the town planning meeting made a strong case for rejecting the plans with Gillian Holdstock, formerly a Case, maintaining we were in danger of losing a bit of Lyme’s history. She assessed the impact on the home her family had occupied for five generations as “quite devastating”. Strong stuff indeed.
I have long given up trying to second guess the planning process, or even understanding it, but on this occasion I am going to stick my neck out: those ardent kebab eaters who drive over to Crewkerne every week will have to continue to do so for quite a while yet.
Lucky to live in Lyme
I’M afraid my fitness regime has taken a bit of a back seat in recent weeks following all the effort to overcome our financial difficulties over the Christmas period.
I’m pleased to say, however, that I’ve started my early morning walks again - and what a day to do it. Tuesday morning was one of those early spring days that makes you really appreciate living in Lyme.
As I came back along the Marine Parade, with the early morning sun casting its silky sheen over Golden Cap, I met Tony and Stephanie Colston, owners of the revamped By The Bay Restaurant. They were taking one last look at their new home town before flying off on a two-week business trip to Borneo.
“We just wanted to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be living here,” they said.
How true.
B Sharp to appear at fossil festival
YOUNG people in Lyme Regis are celebrating after securing funding to host a series of workshops enabling them to open this year’s Fossil Festival.
Following B Sharp’s successful performance at Evolution Rocks! in 2009, the group has been given funding to enable them to perform at the special opening event this year.
Kimberly Clarke, 2010 Fossil Festival Director, said: “They are real professionals, both in the
quality of their performance and in the hard work that they put into every show. We’re proud to support our local talent, and confident they will produce another great multi-faceted show.”
The group will be creating a special new work for Dead…And Alive! to mark the International Year of Biodiversity after they were given free rein to devise a piece which fitted the themes of the last festival.
However, the delight was soured after the group received confirmation they would not gain £10,000 funding to launch the Youth Festival, scheduled for July 2010.
B Sharp project manager Fran Williams said the young people were disappointed but would not give up on trying to find other sources of funding.
Lyme Youth Arts is now hoping to recruit the town’s young people to take part in the various B Sharp projects, which include taking workshops to eight different youth groups throughout West Dorset.
The Fossil Festival workshops will run every Tuesday at the Power Boat Club also and throughout the Easter holidays. Those wishing to take part please go along 6.30 to 8.30 or contact Fran on 07968177663 or www.bsharp.uk.com
For Sport Relief
PUPILS and teachers in Lyme Regis will be locking horns as they go against each other to raise money for Sport Relief this week.
All week Woodroffe School pupils and staff have been running, jumping and kicking to raise funds for the national charity. As well as the mile run, pupils have played badminton, netball and even five-a-side football, which will culminate in a pupils versus staff match on Friday.
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