Blenheim Gardens Café in Minehead reopens under new management

The Blenheim Gardens Café, within Blenheim Gardens in the north of Minehead, closed its doors in October 2018 after 50 years of operation.

William Wynn – who runs Bar 21 on The Avenue in the town centre – applied for permission to bring the café back into use, refurbishing the derelict building to make it safe and suitable for future custom.

In one of its last actions before being abolished, Somerset West and Taunton Council has given these plans the green light for the business to reopen – despite concerns from the public about how disabled people would access the business.

The café is easily accessible from the North Road car park, along with the numerous pedestrian accesses into the gardens.

The café will be open from 8am to 8pm daily – though the opening hours may adjust in the winter months to take account of the park shutting at dusk.

To make the new building fully accessible, an access ramp will be installed at the south-western side of the building and a front terrace will also be added.

Mr Wynn previously fell foul of the council’s enforcement team back in mid-2021, when he was forced to remove decking outside Bar 21 due to breach of planning regulations.

Despite this, he had already been provisionally granted a lease for the building when the plans came before the final meeting of the council’s planning committee in Taunton on March 30.

Somerset West and Taunton Council gave plans to reopen the café the green light. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Carol Bolton, who lives on Blenheim Road, told the committee: “The current plan for access seems unnecessarily complex. It requires those needing disabled access to leave the park, negotiate a busy car park and go round the back of the café.

“All the park’s entrances are wheelchair-friendly. It seems to be the simplest and most welcome solution would be to have a ramp access to the front of the café.

“From a commercial point of view, the easier the access, the more likely the patronage.”

Steve Martyn agreed: “Minehead has one of the oldest age profiles in Somerset – the median age is 62.6.

“There are many disabled people living in close proximity to the gardens, including the residents of two nursing homes. For them, the gardens is a safe haven.”

Ian Liddell-Grainger, the MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, warned in February that the café was “destined to become a night-time drinking den” if Mr Wynn were also to be granted a licence to sell alcohol.

Councillor Craig Palmer, who represents the neighbouring Minehead Central ward, said the lack of a front-facing access ramp was “regrettable” and “potentially unlawful” under the Equality Act 2010.

He added: “If this isn’t accessible for disabled users, it is discrimination.”

Councillor Brenda Weston added: “I think it would be a shame upon this authority to agree to grant this permission as it is.

“There should be a thorough equality impact assessment on the proposal – that the leasee should come forward with alternative plans that are fit for purpose.

“I cannot understand how we could be bypassing the welfare of these people.”

Planning officer Russell Williams suggested that permission could be granted, allowing the café to reopen on April 1, so long as alternative access arrangements (i.e. a ramp at the front) would be put in place “within six to eight weeks”, along with a indoors disabled toilet.

The committee voted to accept this proposal by a margin of ten votes to two, with one abstention.