A woman from Marlow has called for free outdoor seating in the High Street to boost trade, tourism and socialising - after the council cracked down on shops not paying a pavement fee.

Sumukh Kondaskar, the General Manager of The George and Dragon on The Causeway in Marlow, told the Free Press last week that he had been told by Buckinghamshire Council to remove all seating from outside the pub within 48 hours and apply for a £100 pavement licence before putting it back.

A spokesperson for the council said such a licence was required for any business serving food and drink "on the public highway", but Sumukh questioned both the legitimacy and timing of the claim - after "14 years of the tables and chairs being there with no issues" and the clamp-down coming just before the busy Easter weekend.

He added: "We've lost a lot of business - January and February are usually quiet months for us, and March is when things begin to happen. We also rely a lot on walk-in trade from the High Street."

He said he was in the process of applying for a pavement licence but was finding it a lengthy and complicated process.

Now, Marie Lou Stephenson, who lives on Chiltern Road, has called on the council to change its policy and incentivise - rather than discourage - businesses to put tables and chairs outside their shops on the High Street.

She said: “Marlow’s café culture is one of its many attractions – to see people enjoying socialising outdoors year-round enlivens the town centre and brings in visitors.

“The pavement in the High Street is wide enough to accommodate users of all kinds, alongside the single-width table-and-chair configuration outside the cafes.

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“Most of the premises have awnings shading these outdoor areas, making them even more inviting, and no one can fall into the road as parked cars provide an ad-hoc barrier.

“I would make a plea for allowing café owners to continue to create these outdoor seating areas, within sensible parameters, without having to pay for any sort of licence.

“Businesses in the town have enough to cope with to stay afloat, without any additional costs.”

Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Services at Buckinghamshire Council, previously said: “We know many businesses benefit from additional seating space outside their premises and where it is safe to do so, the council is fully supportive.

“When a licence application is made, council officers will look into the request and make a decision based on a range of factors including the width of the pavement, access requirements and public safety. If furniture is placed on the public highway without a valid licence, the council has the right to request that it is removed immediately until the required licence is granted.

“The council will investigate complaints made regarding street furniture blocking safe public access and any business repeatedly found to be in breach of the conditions of their licence risks having their licence revoked.”

Do you think businesses should be able to put furniture outside for free?