Cafe loses takeaway food bid over obesity concerns

Tino's Cafe in Jarrow has been denied the extension by councillors

A cafe has had a proposal to extend its hot food takeaway service rejected over childhood obesity concerns.

Tino’s Cafe, off Calf Close Lane in Jarrow, was subject to the rejection, following a meeting on 20 May by South Tyneside Council’s planning committee.

A supporter of the application said the cafe was not near any schools and it was the responsibility of parents to look at what their children ate and drank, rather than businesses.

Six votes were placed in favour of refusal by councillors, with two against and two abstentions.

The plans included a bid to change the use of the site from a "lawful cafe/restaurant with ancillary takeaway use" to a "mixed use of restaurant/cafe with hot food takeaway".

There were 16 letters of objection of extending the licence, and 34 representations in support.

Reference was made to a letter being circulated locally, stating the cafe was not operating within planning rules, and the supporter disputed that "one more takeaway" would add to the obesity issues around schoolchildren.

South Tyneside Council’s planning department recommended the planning application for refusal as the year six obesity figures “significantly exceeded the 10% threshold” set out in a council policy focusing on “hot food takeaways and health”.

According to a report prepared by council planning officers, Tino’s Cafe made the planning application as it wanted to "allow a more even split of approximately 50/50 between eat-in and takeaway sales or a higher level of takeaway sales above 50 per cent of the total turnover".

Council planning officers confirmed the business was operating within its current lawful use but was looking to extend the amount of hot food takeaway it offered from the site.

The applicant has the right to challenge the council refusal ruling by lodging an appeal with the secretary of state.