Council backs marina bid to lift cafe ban

Audlem parish councillors are backing a bid to lift a ban on serving casual customers at the Overwater marina cafe.

Current planning rules restrict the cafe to serving patrons of the marina, which opened about two years ago.

Parish councillors at their monthly meeting last night said they have no objection to the cafe serving walkers, cyclists or other visitors from the village and elsewhere.

The parish views now go to Cheshire East planning committee which will make a final decision.

Owner Janet Maughan, of Monks Hall Farm, has warned that the viability of the cafe could be in doubt unless it can pull in more customers.

Her application stated: "The ongoing economic downturn and the challenging financial times the country is experiencing, with little signs of any relief or upturn, means the cafe is not viable and now needs to be able to be more sustainable and viable to the ongoing growth of the business and marina."

Comments on the AudlemOnline chatbox have expressed amazement at the ban on serving passing trade while the Audlem Lass takes around 4,000 visitors a year on boat trips to the marina.

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