THE debate over a celebrity chef’s outdoor seating area at his Lyme Regis restaurant rumbled on at a packed council meeting this week.

Residents crammed in to Lyme Regis Town Council’s Church Street chamber on Wednesday evening to voice their support for Mark Hix, who has been ordered to take down the decking by March 31.

Mr Hix has been in a long-running battle with the local authority for several months over the controversial seating area outside The Oyster and Fish House in Lister Gardens.

Built during the pandemic, the decking was approved on a temporary basis during the pandemic as the Government relaxed regulations for the hospitality trade to serve food outside.

Mr Hix has been told he can use the decking until the end of March when the temporary permission ends, forcing him to apply to retain the structure permanently, saying it was crucial for his restaurant’s income.

Any formal planning application would need to be approved by Dorset Council, but the land is owned by Lyme Regis Town Council (LRTC), which has argued that it would be inappropriate development on the public gardens.

The issue has divided councillors and at an extraordinary meeting on January 25, councillors narrowly voted seven to four to back the decking’s removal.

This prompted a petition to be launched to ‘Save Hix’s Decking’, which has garnered more than 8,000 signatures.

The petition, as well as several letters of support, were presented to councillors at this week’s full council meeting.

Several members of the public gallery also gave speeches in support of Saturday Kitchen star Mr Hix, who was present at the meeting.

LRTC clerk John Wright told the busy meeting that the issue of the decking would ‘not be redebated’ on the evening, adding that a minimum of six councillors would need to write to him with a motion to reverse the council’s previous decision.

Mr Hix has offered to pay the council £14,500 rent in order to keep his decking, which enjoys stunning views of the Jurassic Coast.

Petition leader Seb Cope, representing Mr Hix, told the meeting that the restaurant would need to follow planning policy, but the support from LRTC would be ‘the first step’.

“Hospitality businesses have not had an easy ride and now they are in a different time of uncertainty and we may see less visitors to Lyme Regis this year,” he said.

“The decking makes up 0.2 per cent of the total area [of the gardens] – this is not a very significant area in the gardens but is very significant for the restaurant.”

Lyme Regis resident Nigel Brewer-Gibb said: “I love the man and his restaurant. It boosts the local economy and provides jobs and opportunities, and is a fabulous calling card for the area.

“[The town council should] allow it to continue to prosper and it should be incumbent to promote businesses wherever possible in these difficult times.”

Another resident, Caroline Reckton, claimed the patch of grass the decking is on ‘was not used before’ and that ‘destroying’ it would threaten the future of The Oyster and Fish House.

Simon Taylor, who had travelled from Reading in Berkshire to speak at the meeting, asked whether the temporary permission could be extended until September to allow the restaurant to make the most of the peak summer months.

A request from the restaurant seeking an extension on the March 31 deadline was rejected by town councillors on Wednesday.

Councillors were also told that ‘it is not McDonald’s or Starbucks’ that wants to build a ‘business park’, but rather a ‘local restaurateur’ who has links to Dorset.

Sam Shuger, who works as a fisherman in Lyme, added that the council’s previous decision stemmed from ‘individuals who have a dislike towards Mark’.

LRTC clerk John Wright said in an earlier statement after January’s meeting: “The town council has considered a request to make the outside seating area permanent and has decided not to agree to this because the public gardens should be kept free of commercial development for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors.

"The initial request was only agreed by the town council as a temporary Covid-related business support measure.”