Beach cafe in Cornwall told to remove wall blocking steps

Gyllyngvase Beach Café, Cliff Road, Falmouth has applied to amend an already approved application to create an outdoor space on the concrete platform to the east of the site for outdoor dining.

The new amendment application includes a number of changes to the already approved scheme, including the inclusion of a wall above the terraced area blocking off steps down to the beach.

How the new restaurant area would look with steps blocked off (Image: Gylly Beach Cafe/Cornwall Council)

“This means a new wall will be added to the outdoor seating area to prevent non-customers from passing through the space, ensuring that the seating area remains secure and private,” says the application.

“Additionally, this wall will provide privacy for kitchen workers, enhancing both safety and operational efficiency.”

The access has already been blocked off prior to the application being heard by the town council’s planning committee on Monday night. The café says the public have had no right to use the steps as access had only been a courtesy.

At a meeting of Falmouth Town Council’s planning committee on Monday night, councillors voted to recommend approval of the majority of the amendments to the application “subject to the proposed wall being removed and the public right of way if established maintained at all times.”

The cafe already has permission to create an outdoor restaurant space, replace the canopy with a zinc roof, to include a terrace for the two existing apartments; and upgrade of windows and doors to main cafe and apartments above the cafe, and conversion of first floor office to an en-suite bedroom.

However, the creation of the wall created fury among beach users who objected to the steps being blocked off with 13 comments of objection on the application.

One objector Ms Emily Smith said she would be writing to her MP about the matter while other objectors said they had used the access for many decades and objected to them being closed.

Mrs Glynis Tyrrell comment was typical of many. She said: “Like many other local people, I have been using the steps at Gyllyngvase Beach for decades and fail to understand why that use fails to constitute a public right of way.

“I strongly object to the proposal to remove the steps. This is a public beach and the public should be allowed to continue to benefit from an existing well used access.”

A final decision will be made by Cornwall Council.