Bid to Relaunch Brentford Market Faces Challenge |
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Daniel's Restaurant doesn't want competition for its own market
October 20, 2023 A licensing application by Brentford Voice for a relaunch of Brentford Market is facing opposition from a local restaurant. Jim Storrar submitted the application on behalf of the local community group after the previous manager of the market left and the existing street trading licence lapsed. Permission is being sought to run a market with up to 20 stalls on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. If granted it would be for a term of 6 months and renewable thereafter by an appropriate council officer under delegated powers. However, an objection has been lodged by Lin Cutaj who is the leaseholder of Daniel’s Restaurant in the former Verdict café premises. Since the closure of the former market, he has been allowing craft stalls to set up for free in front of his establishment. Brentford Voice is planning to take over the management of a new market that would offer a wide range of food and drink excluding anything that might offer competition to businesses within 200 metres. No tea, coffee, sandwiches or pizza would be sold. Stalls would offer goods produced by local creative artists (paintings, prints, jewellery, ceramics etc) but other goods may be available (e.g. specialist foods, books, antiques). Mr Cutaj fears that stall owners and their customers may seek to use the toilets in his restaurant and he believes the Brentford Voice market plan shows stalls placed on the property of the freeholder of the restaurant. He also is concerned about the number of stalls and the disruption the market would cause to local businesses. The borough Licensing Panel is due to meet on 31 October at 7.30pm to consider the application.
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