Opportunity to serve food and drink on city's streets extended for a year

In July last year Lichfield District Council suspended disabled parking bays to allow visitors and shoppers more space on busy city centre streets due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A number of the parking bays are being used by bars, cafes and restaurants who applied for pavement licences to provide extra seating outside for their customers, to allow them to recover from numerous lockdowns.

After an extension of the Business and Planning Act 2020, the council has approved plans to extend these city centre arrangements until September 30, 2022.

This means the 21 disabled parking bays on Market Street, Bore Street, Conduit Street and Tamworth Street will remain suspended, and the 18 hospitality businesses will be able to keep their pavement licences for another year.

The council says there are still 21 disabled bays available throughout the city centre, and the replacement parking spaces in Bird Street car park and Lombard Street car park, which are reserved for blue badge holders, will also remain in place over the coming year.

Caroline Davis, proprietor of The Bureau bar and restaurant in Market Street, said: "The hospitality sector is on its knees, anything the council does to help businesses recover is definitely welcome.

"The outside seating has helped premises that do not have outside space and it helps to attract people.

"It also creates a holiday feel in the city centre."

Councillor Liz Little, Cabinet Member for Major Projects, said: “With Covid still very much with us, it’s really important that we have space to maintain social distancing in the city centre.

“We also want to support our local businesses who are keen to keep their outside seating areas for another year.

“We hope blue badge holders will understand the decision and continue to make good use of the remaining blue badge bays that are available in the city centre and in Bird Street and Lombard Street car parks.”