Bristol tapas restaurant faces setback in bid to keep outdoor seating

Local TV

A long-running dispute over outdoor dining on Cotham Hill has intensified, as Bristol City Council planning officers recommend refusing permission for Bravas to retain its seating structure, despite significant public and political support.

Transcript

00:00For years, the outdoor tables at Braavos have been part of the everyday rhythm of Cotham Hill,

00:06drawing customers to a busy stretch that has evolved into a popular pedestrian space.

00:10But the restaurant's effort to retain its covered seating has reached a critical moment

00:14after Bristol City Council planning officers recommended refusal ahead of a committee decision.

00:19Their report states that while temporary outdoor dining is acceptable in principle,

00:23the current installation is considered a permanent structure because it cannot be dismantled quickly.

00:28According to officers, that raises significant safety issues,

00:32including insufficient room for a fire engine to pass in an emergency.

00:36The report also says that the remaining space on a pedestrianised road is too narrow

00:40to safely accommodate both cyclists and people on foot,

00:43increasing the risk of conflict in what is described as a busy and well-used area.

00:47Planning officers warn that approving the structure could set a precedent for similar installations on Cotham Hill,

00:53creating what they call an overbearing sense of street clutter.

00:56The Council's highways authority has also raised concerns stating it would be unable to grant a licence for the structure.

01:04Its submission highlights risks linked to blocked drainage channels,

01:08access for cleaning and potential for damage to the carriageway.

01:12Officers stress that their objection is directed at the size and permanence of the structure,

01:16rather than the principle of outdoor dining.

01:19Support for Braavos, however, remains strong.

01:21More than 1,000 people have backed the application and several Green councillors have publicly defended the restaurant,

01:26saying that businesses along Cotham Hill have worked hard to make the area thrive.

01:31The committee meeting will take place in public, following an earlier refusal made by officers this year.

01:36Enforcement action has already been issued ordering removal of the structure,

01:41though that has been paused while the new application awaits a decision.

01:44The committee meeting will take place in public,

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