The ‘council café police’ are on the beat in Queen’s Crescent

• NOT far from the fine dining of the streateries in Belsize Park (subsidised by the government £10 per person per meal) is a small café on Queen’s Crescent.

It has three small tables outside on the crescent, at which those of us slowly emerging from lockdown like to sit and buy coffees and cakes.

Many of us do not feel comfortable going inside this, or any shops, though Covid-19 regulations now permit this.

The café has struggled financially over the lockdown and is just getting back on its feet as customers cautiously return. Enter Camden Council café police who order these tables to be removed.

Some six months ago an expensive council financed (£42k) consultation “recommended” shops (not only cafés) to put chairs on pavements to allow shoppers to rest their weary limbs and encourage social interaction.

This report seems to have disappeared from view along with a long list of similar consultations in Gospel Oak.

Last time the council café police tried to remove the tables, some five or so years ago, they had demanded some £1,200 a year from the café for a “licence”.

Several of us returning patrons approached one of our local councillors to query this anti-business behaviour of the café police.

So far no response from him or even acknowledgement. We believe he supported the proposals of chairs on the pavement.

I am not sure how much money the council is now demanding of our café and whether the Belsize streateries are subject to the same ministrations of the café police.

You would be hard pressed to spend £10 on a meal at our café, so no government £10 subsidy here.

MICK FARRANT,
NW5