Somerset restaurant told to remove outdoor dining pods

A restaurant in Somerset that put up plastic dining igloos outside to comply with social distancing rules has been told to remove them by the council.

Martin and Susan Felstead installed three pods in their garden at Greenway Farm in Wembdon, Bridgwater in July.

They have since applied for planning permission to add two more pods with benches to increase their dining space.

But councillors have turned down their application citing noise issues for other residents.

Lockdown rules were eased on 12 April allowing pubs, cafes and restaurants to serve customers outdoors in groups of no more than six people.

The couple told Sedgemoor District Council planning committee on Tuesday the pods had been "hugely popular" with their guests and allowed their business to serve up to 18 people in total.

Mr and Mrs Felstead said the pods were "safe, lightweight, movable, weather-resistant", and were fully booked between August and December, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They also said their customers were "mature, respectful people, interested only in enjoying a quiet lunch or dinner in convivial company".

However, residents raised objections to the pods and argued that their quality of life was being affected by noise from the diners.

Barrister Derek Perry, representing a number of residents, said one 89-year old client was "happy for people to have a knees up" but said the noise was "unbearable".

"It's a case of an inch being given and a mile being taken," he added.

Councillor Mike Caswell said the council had not done enough to monitor noise issues at the venue .

He said: "This has to be done before permission can be given for these pods. We need a baseline."

A proposal to temporarily allow the pods to remain for 18 months was rejected by councillors by ten votes to four.

Retrospective planning permission was then refused by a vote of nine to two.