A RESTAURANT’S bid to offer outside seating for the next three years, on one of the most scenic and historic spots in North Berwick, has been refused.

Stirling Stewart owns The Rocketeer Restaurant on Victoria Road and last year used the grassy land to the south of the restaurant at Anchor Green for a socially distanced outside seating area.

The land is owned by Hew Dalrymple and is home to a Celtic cross monument to Catherine Watson, who died in 1889, aged 19, as she tried to rescue children swept out to sea.

On December 14 last year, Mr Stewart applied to East Lothian Council for planning permission to keep the seating area for a temporary three-year period and to install monoblock paving on the existing path around the restaurant.

But now planning officers have refused the application.

They ruled it would have an “unacceptable harmful impact” on the function of the area and would “significantly compromise the visual amenity and landscape character of the area”.

Other reasons for refusal were the loss of the space, the harm it would cause to the character, impact and look of the area, and that it would be out of character.

A total of 45 representations were made, 26 of which were objections, one of those being from the town’s community council.

Of the objections made, some related to the loss of the area, the impact on the conservation area, the impact on nearby houses, the “disrespectful use of the area”, and the inadequate amount of rubbish bins.

The 19 representations in support of the application included its sensitivity to the site, that it would not be a loss of public space, it might encourage people to take an interest in the memorial cross and the support of local suppliers, businesses and jobs.

Following the decision, Mr Stewart said: “This application is about job creation and retention, not just for us but our suppliers in East Lothian.

“It is a blow to us and to our hard-working fishermen at the harbour who provide a direct route to market.”

Judy Lockhart-Hunter, chair of North Berwick Community Council, said: “North Berwick Community Council is pleased that the recent planning application was refused.

“Whilst we fully sympathise with the struggles that local businesses are facing at this time and were pleased to support the area being used for six months during the lockdown last year, we felt that three years was too long for the public to lose this amenity space.

“The area is well used by the public, who like to sit on the grass with a picnic or just to enjoy the surroundings.”