Charity Cafe finally granted permission for outside seating

WILTSHIRE Council has  now granted the ArtHouse Cafe permission to put tables and chairs outside their premises during market days after a trail of confusion and protest. 

When the cafe’s idea was first proposed to help support the market, held every Tuesday, and utilise the space available on the plaza outside the Town Hall with a couple of tables and chairs, Wiltshire Council said the cafe would have to apply as if it was a market trader.

A protest was then arranged, saying that it was a case of “bureaucracy gone mad’ and local people brought their own chairs to the Market Place in a sit-in. However, the protest soon turned into a celebration when members of the cafe said that a representative from Wiltshire Council had called into the cafe and said they could go ahead with the plans. Then, in a further twist of fate, Wiltshire Council said that was not the case – and permission had still not yet been granted.

Martin Elson, from the cafe, told Melksham News, “The Arthouse Cafe now has been given permission to have tables and chairs out on the Market Place during market days to encourage a community spirit and bring more stalls to Melksham’s weekly market. 

“We have also been told that if we would like them out for other occasions, we are allowed if we formalise it with the council first. 

“As the weather gets colder, we are unlikely to have the tables out for a while, and will have to look at the number of volunteers we have to cover outside tables, but we are glad to finally have the permission to do so.

“I don’t think we would have received the permission if it wasn’t for the Melksham News covering the story, so thank you very much for that.”