White marquees may not be removed until next year

The borough council is awaiting the outcome of an enforcement appeal

A row of white marquees outside a town-centre hotel may not be removed until next year.

The tents were installed outside No 131 the Promenade in Cheltenham while planning enforcement against moveable structures were relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cheltenham Borough Council issued an enforcement notice to the hotel and restaurant at the beginning of the year, which requires the removal of the tents.

But it is waiting on the outcome of an appeal against the notice, which could take until early next year.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has approached No 131 the Promenade for comment.

After the Covid-19 relaxation rules around moveable structures ended, initial proposals to keep the marquees for a further two years were rejected by Cheltenham Borough Council in November 2022.

This decision was upheld by a planning inspector during the summer last year.

Cheltenham Civic Society says it is concerned that the marquees have not been removed yet

A Civic Society spokesperson said: “It is a total lack of enforcement despite two decisions against them for the tents.

"It’s a commercial liberty that they have taken advantage of the Covid ruling to gain an unfair opportunity over everybody else who trades in the town as a restaurant or bar by increasing the amount of space."

A Cheltenham Borough Council spokesperson said: “We served an enforcement notice to 131 the Promenade at the beginning of the year, requiring the removal of the tents.

“An appeal was lodged against that notice shortly afterwards and we are currently awaiting the outcome of that appeal.

“It is currently taking the planning inspectorate around one year to determine enforcement appeals so we may not get a decision until early next year.”