The Tea Pot, Scarborough: Cafe at historic East Pier gets permission for new seafront bar and terrace

Applicants Julie and Marvin Smith have been granted permission to build a first-floor extension for a new seafront terrace and bar at The Tea Pot Café at Scarborough’s Grade-II Listed East Pier.

The council approved the scheme to construct a single-storey extension at the first-floor level, including a balcony to the front and a terrace to the rear of the café.

The scheme will increase the establishment’s capacity for outdoor dining on the balcony as well as on the terrace, with the latter to include a small extension for toilet facilities.

An original proposal by the applicants would have “significantly elevated” the first floor above the ridge of the flood defence and would have “dominated and competed with the prominence of the Old Toll Station”.

The first proposal also received objections from the Scarborough Civic Society and members of the public who raised concerns about the scheme’s impact on the character of the area.

However, the amended proposal was approved without public objections as the overall height of the roof was reduced by around 0.65m which will sit “beneath the eaves of the Toll Station”.

The planning authority stated that the modern features of the proposal – including a curved copper roof, glass balustrade and aluminium window frames – would “jar against the setting of the Toll Station”.

However, it also noted that several recent developments in the area had similar features, including the copper sheeting at the RNLI building on Foreshore Road to the southwest of the site as well as the balconies at the Sunrise Café, which was also granted permission for an extension last year.

Concerns were also raised by the council’s environmental health department, which said that the increased number of patrons would lead to “the insufficient provision of WC facilities on-site”.

Whilst planning officers “respectfully noted” the department’s concerns, it said that there are public toilets nearby on Foreshore Road “which could satisfactorily accommodate patrons”.

North Yorkshire Police also commented that a review of the existing license may be required as a result of the development.

The plan was approved subject to conditions on Tuesday, July 11.