Stephen Barker, who took over Foxy’s Deli on Penarth High Street last June, said he was told yesterday afternoon that the parklet outside his business would be demolished next week, with work on parklets at Windsor Arcade already underway.
“I’m not happy about it, mainly not because they are doing this, but the process of it,” he said.
“The bookings are being hampered. I don’t quite understand it. They haven’t kept the spirit of the plan that was proposed.”
Mr Barker said businesses pay for outdoor seating licences for the whole year but only use them for around three months in summer due to the weather.
“For them to do this when summer is approaching is diabolical,” he said.
“We asked them repeatedly to let us have it for the summer.”
He also said that at a time when local businesses are struggling, the council should be making efforts to help them, not making things more difficult.
He added that businesses were first informed about discussions in January and told they would be part of a consultation, “but that didn’t happen and we were given notice this week that they would come off next week.”
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A protest was held outside Foxy’s this morning, with campaigners from the Save Penarth’s Parklets group accusing the council of rushing through the removal to pre-empt a public outcry.
Café 64 and Windsor Tea Rooms are also set to have their outdoor seating removed this week.
The parklets were installed during the Covid-19 pandemic to help businesses stay open and encourage people back to the high street.
Campaigners say public consultation showed strong support for keeping them, but claim this feedback was omitted from official reports.
They also say the council’s Placemaking plan promised to “work with affected businesses to mitigate the removal of the temporary covered spaces,” but that businesses were simply notified of demolition with just days’ warning.
Under the new proposals, businesses are being told the parklet structures including glass screens and flooring will be scrapped, with only planters retained.
Business owners say this will leave them with no protection from traffic, road dust and noise, and that they will not even be allowed to use umbrellas like those permitted on the seafront.
Campaigners point out that while the council has developed a street scene strategy and secured funding for Llantwit Major town centre, no equivalent plans or funding have been confirmed for Penarth.
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council, said the council had been in discussion with businesses about removing the parklets for months.
“They were installed in Penarth town centre as a temporary measure during Covid to help businesses stay open and encourage people back to the high street,” she said.
“They have now reached the end of their lifespan and need to be removed. This will happen over the next week as part of wider work to refresh and improve the town centre.
“While popular with some people, we have also received feedback from other residents expressing concern at their deteriorating condition and appearance.
Businesses can still choose to offer outdoor seating through existing licences, while we will also support them to explore other alternative options for outdoor trading.”
The Save Penarth’s Parklets campaign is calling on the council to suspend removal of the structures until it delivers on its promise of “well-designed permanent pavement build-outs that will contribute to the ongoing development of a vibrant street scene.”
