Bright red shutters land cafe owner with £3,000 bill
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A cafe owner who installed bright red shutters on his shop
front was landed in hot water following complaints from
neighbours.
Malvin Brown was forced to fork out more than £3,000 in fines
and legal costs after residents spotted a breach of planning rules
at Uncle's Cafe, in Milton Road, Swanscombe.
Neighbours alerted Dartford council when the new shutters went
up outside the cafe and its adjacent property, prompting its
planning team to serve enforcement notices against Brown, who had
not sought planning permission.
Brown, from Essex, appeared at Dartford Magistrates' Court on
Monday, February 1, having failed to comply with the notices asking
for the shutters' removal and was fined £500 for each breach. He
was also ordered to pay the council's prosecution costs of £2,265
and the victim's surcharge of £15. The total penalty was
£3,280.
A council spokesman said: "The shutters did not meet with
council planning officers' standards due to their closed mesh
construction and strident red colour."
Monday, February 08 2010
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