A LONG-RUNNING debate over a celebrity chef’s outdoor seating area at his Lyme Regis restaurant is rumbling on, with time running out to save the controversial decking.

Residents crammed in to Lyme Regis Town Council’s Church Street chamber on Wednesday, February 15 to voice their support for Mark Hix, who has been ordered to take down the space by March 31.

The Saturday Kitchen star has been in a public battle with councillors for several months over the seating area outside The Oyster and Fish House in Lister Gardens.

Built during the pandemic, the decking was approved on a temporary basis 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 next month, when the temporary permission ends - which forced him to apply to retain the structure permanently, arguing 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 argued it would be inappropriate development on gardens.

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 nearly 10,000 signatures. 

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

Several members of the public gallery also gave speeches in support of Mr Hix, who was present. 

But LRTC clerk John Wright told the meeting that the issue of the decking would ‘not be redebated’ on the evening.

He added that a minimum of six councillors would need to write to him with a motion to reverse the council’s previous verdict last month. 

When asked whether there had been any update with this, LRTC said that 'nothing has happened' since the meeting and the decision for Mr Hix to remove the decking 'stands'.

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’.

“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," he said. 

Lyme Regis resident Nigel Brewer-Gibb said: “I love the man and his restaurant. It boosts the local economy and provides jobs and opportunities.

“[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 restaurant's future.

Simon Taylor, who had travelled from Berkshire to speak at the meeting, asked whether the temporary permission could be extended until September.

But 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’.