LYME Regis seafront traders hit out at 'unaffordable' rent increases imposed by the town council at a recent meeting - which has since promised to review its charges in light of the complaints. 

At a busy Lyme Regis Town Council (LRTC) meeting in Church Street on February 15, business owners voiced their anger over 'unsustainable' hikes in rent of £100 for commerical traders on Marine Parade stalls.

Based at the Marine Parade shelters on the seafront, traders pay a rent payment to the town council to do business on the land.

LRTC regularly reviews its prices across the town such as in car parks, cemeteries and the shelters, and back in October 2021 it proposed to increase the rent there for the 2023/2024 financial year, which begins on April 1 this year.

Charges are set a year in advance because of the volume of bookings taken in advance.

Back at that meeting on October 13, 2021, councillors said that prices for commercial rental were 'too low'.

But the town clerk reminded members to 'be careful' about increasing the charges 'too much' as this 'might price people out'.

Councillors ultimately decided to increase charges for private and commercial renting of the market and performance areas at the Marine Parade shelters.

Price hikes meant that commercial traders would have to fork out £300 per day if they wanted to rent out a performance area at the top of the shelters - an increase of £100 on the 2022/23 financial year. 

Several small business owners descended on the town council's Guildhall offices last week to address councillors directly on their dislike of the price hikes decided in 2021.

One owner, which sells gifts and accessories, told the full council meeting: "It is unaffordable and unsustainable for my small business. Your decision equates to whether or not I can continue to trade.

"I find that very unsettling for my future and this year is hard enough already."

A member of the public gallery added that by increasing the rent so much, the town council was 'prohibiting' small businesses from growing in Lyme Regis, calling the decision 'short-sighted'.

"It is only well-established businesses that will be able to affford that," they added.

Councillors at last week's meeting decided to review its price hike and bring a report back to a committee meeting on Wednesday, March 22 for consideration.

Also discussed at the meeting was a long-running dispute between celebrity chef Mark Hix and the town council over an outdoor decking area at his Lyme restaurant, which he has been ordered to remove by March 31.