A couple who run a popular tea room in Caldbeck’s conservation area have been granted planning permission to expand the business.
Charles and Sara Deans made the “life choice decision” to buy the Old Smithy during the COVID lockdown to run as a family business.
The cafe has traded in the village for 50 years but Mr and Mrs Deans found that it was not fit for purpose and applied to the Lake District National Park Authority for a full refurbishment and upgrade of the tea room and the introduction of a stone two-storey side extension to improve amenity space. A kitchen and ground floor storage would also be introduced, two store rooms above the first floor and a rear veranda created.
Mr Deans, who has been wheelchair bound for 17 years, told a meeting of the development control committee on Wednesday that buying the cafe had allowed him to get back into work and added that he hoped to make the cafe more accessible for disabled people. He said that they employed local staff and goods were locally sourced.
“The whole emphasis of the property is to make it better than it was for the next 100 years and to make it more accessible,” said Mr Deans. “We have worked with the national park planners to make it as sympathetic to the area as possible.
“We are going to spend quite a lot of money on the building to make it good for us and the village.”
But objector Cllr Alison Young, speaking on behalf of Caldbeck Parish Council, said there were concerns about the development of land over the beck, which runs through the property, to create an outdoor seating area, the provision of toilets, parking and the overall size of the changes.
She said the council was concerned about the disposal of “the significant amount of spoil” for works to create a patio and stone store which would “require a considerable amount of excavations” to take place to lay the foundations.
Cllr Young pointed out that there would only be one disabled toilet for a possible 80 to 90 covers which does not meet British standard requirements.
“The way things stand, the provision of toilet facilities is woefully inadequate for customers,” she said.
There was now parking for three vehicles whereas before there was room from seven vehicles.
She added that concerns remain about the length and height of the building which she said would “dominate this area of the conservation area.”
Members listened to the arguments on both sides and unanimously agreed to grant the application.
