Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Cafe bid fails to win over critics
Revised plans to turn a prime high street site into a reception area for student flats - along with a new cafe for city shoppers - have so far failed to convince critics. Developers want to press ahead with their proposals for the former Barretts car showroom, which sits in front of an under-construction block of 143 student flats.
Their original scheme to turn the old dealership solely into a reception area angered city business leaders who said the prominent location is a “gateway” to the city and should be protected for retail use.
In an effort to win over objectors, Paul Roberts Developments - the firm which has owned the site since January 2020 - tweaked the plans to include a ground-floor coffee shop and meeting rooms available for public use.
But Lisa Carlson, chief executive of the Canterbury Business Improvement District, says the “very small” cafe is not sufficient for such a key site. “The proposal may technically have an active shop front element to it, but it does not maintain or enhance vitality, attractiveness and viability of the area,” she said.
“The cafe makes a marginal contribution to the shopping function which does not compensate for the loss of such a long retail frontage.
“It is unlikely to be viable as a stand-alone business given its very limited food preparation area.
“The extent to which this is a service to the public or contributes to an appropriate mix and diverse retail offer is questionable.”
The addition of the cafe has also reignited objections from other previous critics, including the Alliance of Canterbury Residents, who say the “amended plans put forward recently will still seriously disrupt the retail line joining St Peters to St Dunstans”.