Bar owner loses appeal over benches that cost him £20,000 fine

BAR owner Ben Bartrip has lost a bid to keep benches that landed his company a £20,000 fine in court.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Feb 2018, 16:05 BST
Updated 23rd Feb 2018, 17:09 BST
The seating Ben Bartrip installed outside The Victualler Harbourside Bar and Restaurant in Royal Clarence Yard, GosportThe seating Ben Bartrip installed outside The Victualler Harbourside Bar and Restaurant in Royal Clarence Yard, Gosport
The seating Ben Bartrip installed outside The Victualler Harbourside Bar and Restaurant in Royal Clarence Yard, Gosport

Bartrip’s firm 88 75 Ltd had put £15,000 worth of seating for 150 people outside the bar – despite the building being a Grade II listed site.

He then applied for retrospective planning permission, which was refused by planning officers at Gosport Borough Council.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard last December his firm failed to remove them after Gosport Borough Council issued the firm with an enforcement notice demanding they be taken away.

He did not and was prosecuted, leading to the fine.

Now just last week he lost a bid for planning permission on appeal to an inspector.

The independent government inspector ruled the council had been right to refuse it, the council said.

The inspector said the seating would harm the settings of nearby listed buildings and the character and appearance of the conservation area.

Gosport’s council said the inspector found it would also unacceptably harm the living conditions of nearby residents.