Celebrity chef Mark Hix threatens to withdraw charitable support from ... trends now
Celebrity chef Mark Hix is threatening to withdraw charitable support for the local Dorset community after the council ordered he tear down an outside seating area which was temporarily approved during the pandemic.
The Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen star built the large wooden deck at his luxury seafood restaurant in 2020.
The three-level extension was automatically approved as the government relaxed regulations to help the hospitality trade serve food outside.
Mr Hix applied to retain the structure permanently but town hall bureaucrats have rejected the proposals, claiming it encroached on public gardens.
In Mr Hix's case, the 40ft by 26ft space outside his Oyster and Fish House enjoys sweeping views of the sea at Lyme Regis on Dorset's Jurassic Coast.
Celebrity chef Mark Hix is threatening to withdraw charitable support for the local Dorset community after the council ordered he tear down an outside seating area which was temporarily approved during the pandemic
The three-level extension was automatically approved as the government relaxed regulations to help the hospitality trade serve food outside
In Mr Hix's case, the 40ft by 26ft space outside his Oyster and Fish House enjoys sweeping views of the sea at Lyme Regis on Dorset's Jurassic Coast
The 59-year-old restaurateur, who opened the eatery in 2020, said his income would be reduced by around 30 per cent if he is forced to tear the £20,000 decking down.
That would be a devastating loss at any time, but it's made worse by the impact of Covid paired with soaring energy bills and a mounting cost of living crisis which is pushing restaurant bosses to the limit.
Businesses that were previously profitable are now making a loss with energy prices having more than doubled for most this year.
Martin Williams, the chief executive of Rare Restaurants, which owns steakhouse chain Gaucho, said earlier this year small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are at risk collapsing due to rising costs.
David Nicholson, owner of the popular Black Rat in Winchester, Hampshire, says his energy costs have jumped five-fold from £20,000 a year to a staggering £100,000.
Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge also weighed in on the issue, stating on of his pubs faced a near 700 per cent surge in electricity costs - from £60,000 to a staggering £420,000 a year.
Pubs across the UK currently fear having to hike the price of pints to £20 or close altogether this winter.
Mr Hix is now threatening to pull out of annual food festivals and
