Whitstable restaurateurs critical of council over fire repair delays

The fire, which began in a warehouse, spread to the Bennetts' business next door

A couple whose restaurant was damaged by a fire in May have criticised a council over delays to rebuilding work.

The Crab and Winkle restaurant in Whitstable, Kent, burned down in a blaze caused by a contractor working for Canterbury City Council.

Owner Peter Bennett has terminal cancer, and said he feared his wife Elizabeth would be left to deal with the situation alone.

The council said it was trying to get the work done as quickly as possible.

The fire began in a warehouse on 26 May, with an investigation finding it was started by sparks from an angle grinder.

It spread to the Crab and Winkle and took 10 fire appliances to bring under control.

Mr Bennett said seeing his restaurant still in ruins depresses him.

"When I come here I'm just gutted," he said, "because I can still see all the customers enjoying themselves, and then you come back to realisation and it's heart wrenching.

"On my passing - I'm riddled with cancer - it's leaving my wife with nothing."

The restaurant was badly damaged when the fire spread to it

Mrs Bennett said the fire has ruined them.

"I'm broke, the company's broke," she said.

"I lost my customers and workforce. The only person I've got left is Peter, and I'm not going to have him for much longer.

"We're bordering on seven months. Is it going to be eight, nine, 10? How long are they going to keep us dangling? What are we supposed to do?"

Peter and Elizabeth Bennett say they have been left "dangling" by delays to rebuilding

A statement from Canterbury City Council said: "We are working with our insurer to get the building repaired as quickly as possible. Work has been tendered and we hope to award the contract in the near future.

"We have been keeping the Bennetts informed throughout various stages of the claim."

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