Decision details

The Licence will allow the individual to place a coffee kiosk and seating to sell refreshments and snacks. The Licence will run up until the 30th December 2021, and is intended as a trial basis only.

Leckhampton Hill has long been a popular recreational destination. This car park allows people to drive to the top of the Hill and within a stone’s throw, take in spectacular views over Cheltenham without the climb. It is a short walk to the escarpment edge and to tourist spots such as Devils Chimney, the Hill Fort, Trigg Point, and panoramic viewpoint. 

It offers this business a lifeline and the Council an opportunity to assess the viability of this location. This opportunity is very much about local, and about people being given an opportunity to survive and the ability to keep its head above the water. The applicant is a local resident. 

Our resources are being stretched because of the pandemic. However, we have found, where the trials are occurring that the kiosks are a conduit that people can use to report back to us. Effectively they are helping us to manage the space and help manage antisocial behaviours. They are our eyes and ears.

The Licence being offered will be on similar terms to the Tenancies at Will being offered at Burrows and Beeches playing fields. The Council and the vendor can terminate this agreement at any time allowing great flexibility for the Council with this new venture. By allowing this Licence to be in place the council will be receiving income and allowing a local business an opportunity to trade in these difficult times.

The Council could decide not to have a coffee kiosk at Leckhampton Hill but it would mean that we would not be receiving any income, there would be no conduit to help be our eyes and ears or the ability to support a local business.

Consultation took place in relation to the Cabinet papers, and all consulted were in support. Below is more detail as to that consultation process:

·         Contacting ward members and where they responded they were in support

·         Parish councils were consulted and where they responded they were in support

·         Friends of Groups were consulted and where they existed were in support

·         The council’s Asset Management Working Group was in support, with members keen to secure local traders

·         Two Cabinet papers which received unanimous support from Cabinet Members

·         Parks and green spaces were championing this offer and they also contacted local sports groups who were known to use the fields and where they responded about the kiosk opportunity, they were in support.

·         The opportunity was also advertised widely on social media and on our webpage

·         The S123 Notice was advertised in local papers for two consecutive weeks. 

Resulting from our consultation, the Council received over 800 responses from members of the public which were overwhelmingly in support (however these did tend to focus on the Hatherley opportunity).