Narrowboat café extension blocked

THE ATTEMPT to extend a waterside café with a moored narrowboat to increase more customers has been blocked.

Rejected

The Old Wharf Tea Rooms will not be allowed to moor a boat in the basin in Hickling on the unused Grantham Canal for fears 'it would impact the tranquillity of a rural beauty spot', a spokesperson for Rushcliffe Borough Council told, as it rejected this plan.

It concluded the increased demand for parking and required extension of the café's car park would harm the appearance of the area and its panoramic views.

This forced the venue into lodging an appeal with the government's Planning Inspectorate, which has now been dismissed.

Inspector Paul Martinson explained that while the moored 'barge' would fit in at the canal basin, the increased number of customers and subsequent parking demand, traffic and noise would negatively impact the charming location, adding:

Undermine

"This intensification in use of the spaces around the Old Wharf building and along Main Street would undermine the canal basin’s tranquil rural character, reducing its open appearance and diminishing its visual qualities as part of a significant panoramic view."

The Old Wharf building, which was a canal warehouse until permission was granted for it to be turned into a café in 2015, is Grade II listed due to its historic importance and character.