Council urged to take £350 'cafe tax' off the menu

Jo Garvin puts tables outside Cafe Sorelli, which she co-owns with her sister, Serafina Zambito

Cafe owners and customers are urging their local council to scrap plans for a £350 charge on putting chairs and tables outside their premises.

Under the proposal, cafes in Central Bedfordshire with 10 or more tables would pay £500.

The charges were introduced in April, but were then dropped so councillors could discuss them.

Central Beds Council officials have said the fee would cover the costs of administering the licences.

New rules were introduced across the country during the Covid pandemic lockdown period to allow cafes to obtain licences for putting tables outside their buildings so they could continue serving customers.

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Leaman described the fees as a "cafe tax".

The council, which is led by the Independent Alliance group, said businesses that had already paid had been refunded ahead of a final decision.

The council's licensing committee has now recommended that Thursday's full council meeting rejects the idea of imposing a charge for pavement licences.

Ms Garvin and Ms Zambito say they would not put tables out if the fee were introduced

Two simple orange tables and four chairs often adorn the pavement outside Cafe Sorelli in Leighton Buzzard's High Street.

The idea of paying hundreds of pounds for the privilege of setting up the furniture has left a bad taste in the mouth of the co-ownerJo Garvin.

"Our regulars like to sit and watch the world go by," she said.

"We get to use those tables a maximum of 12 weeks a year and they're not always in use but it does show people that we are open in the morning."

If the licence fee was introduced, she said she would "have no choice but to take the tables in, because I think it's an unfair charge especially for small businesses".

Charlotte Kilbane (left) and Amelia Darley both oppose the introduction of pavement fees

Enjoying a coffee at Cafe Sorelli, Charlotte Kilbane and Amelia Darley agreed that the charges were unnecessary.

Ms Kilbane said the fee would be a "real shame" because having tables and chairs "brings so much to the vibrancy of our very precious town centre to be able to have customers sitting outside."

Ms Darley added: "It's completely unnecessary - they already their business rates, I'm sure, to be here so I don't really see why they need to pay for a space outside."

Maria Samaei says her tables and chairs are a sign the cafe is open

Maria Samaei puts just two tables outside her Cittadina coffee shop "to let people know that we are open".

She says the furniture only sticks out 70cm (28in) over the pavement, which she estimates is almost four metres wide.

"For the town to be alive," she added, "it's lovely to see tables and chairs outside.

"None of us can afford the fee."

Maria Samaei says no cafe owners can afford to pay a fee

Council officials have recommended that the charge is introduced, but the licensing committee said it would disproportionately affect small businesses and harm the town centre.

Councillors will make a decision on Thursday.