Something new at Orcombe Point?
Most people seem to agree that Exmouth’s Orcombe Point, the start of the Word Heritage Coast, could do with a café. It used to have one and people want something there again where they can get a drink and a bite to eat.
Local Councillor, Mark Williamson, is right behind the idea and is inviting people to come up with their ideas for what they want to happen at Orcombe Point be it a café kiosk or something else for the longer term and what type of food and drink people would like. You can send your ideas to Cllr Williamson at: MWilliamson@eastdevon.gov.uk
He will then send those ideas on to the Exmouth Regeneration Board so that they can be considered when councillors and officers are marketing a café concession and deciding on the best offer. The deadline to e-mail Cllr Williamson is Friday 24 March.
East Devon District Council is on board and has set aside a budget for the coming financial year that can help to bring a café back to the site. In the longer term there might be a grander design for a café, bar and restaurant or similar at Orcombe Point but for the moment and to get things moving the council would like to get a café concession up and running for the coming season. This still needs to get through planning and marketing of course but the council is keen to make this happen.
For mobile concessions, street food stalls and the like at the bottom of Orcombe Point the council is going through the process of consultation that would allow the lifting of the current general ban on street trading so watch that space.
In the meantime we are looking at the works necessary to get the old café site on the Zig Zag Path ready for a kiosk or small café. The budget can be used to clear and prepare the site and get services reconnected. At the same time we need to get planning permission which will take time as well.
Orcombe Point is visited and loved by many and all sorts of different people: young and old, family groups, locals and visitors, walkers, cyclists, runners, dog owners, water users. Cllr Williamson is keen to encourage ideas from all parts of the community.
He said: “It is time that we had a café back at this end of the seafront but what would people like to see soon and in the longer term? Some might want it traditional and some might want a more modern style. What should it look like? What hours of opening? What kind of food and drink? Do you want a small building, more than one concession or something bigger in the future?”
Please send your ideas to MWilliamson@eastdevon.gov.uk before midday on Friday 24 March. The council will keep Exmouth people in touch with what is happening at Orcombe Point as things happen.
