Restaurant chain Rockfish is gearing up to open its first-ever seafood café in East Devon, after planners agreed a site on Budleigh Salterton seafront.
Celebrity chef Mitch Tonks has landed his plans to bring his Rockfish brand to Budleigh Salterton, writes local democracy reporter Bradley Gerrard.
The restaurateur, who just weeks ago secured permission to turn Sidmouth’s Drill Hall into one of his trendy fish eateries, has now been given the go-ahead for Budleigh’s Longboat Cafe site.
Rockfish is gearing up to open its first-ever cafe – announced for Budleigh seafront.
Photo: EDN.
Mr Tonks plans to extend the existing building by way of a retractable roof and wall design between the cafe and the adjacent shelter.
The glass walls and roof panels that can be opened or closed will create an outside seating area.
Rockfish cafe is set to open on Budleigh seafront.
Photo: EDN.
The cafe is opening in the former Longboat premises.
Photo: EDN.
The former Longboat cafe and the next door shelter.
Photo: EDN.
The sign is already up and artwork is on the interior walls.
Photo: EDN.
While there were no objections from any formal bodies, one by Cllr Melanie Martin (Independent, Budleigh and Raleigh) meant the proposal had to be debated by East Devon District Council’s planning committee last week.
Cllr Martin said: “The cafe as it stands provides affordable refreshments for residents and visitors to Budleigh, and it is accessible to all.
“If the cafe was to be replaced by a chain restaurant, there would be a number of people who could not afford to eat here.”
She also feared there would be “an increase in odours, noise levels and disturbance to neighbouring residential properties”.
Rockfish cafe is set to open on Budleigh seafront.
Photo: EDN.
But her fellow ward councillors, Charlotte Fitzgerald and Henry Riddell disagreed and supported the proposal.
Cllr Fitzgerald said Rockfish “would fill a gap in the Budleigh Salterton tourism economy that would place it well to compete with other nearby seaside towns”, while Cllr Riddell said the design was “sensitive to the area” and that it would be an upgrade to the existing structure “which currently has an enforcement notice”.
“It is also nice to see that the original Longboat building is retained,” he added. “I am sure that Rockfish will be a welcome addition to our town.”
On the Rockfish website, the Budleigh plan is pitched as ‘coming soon’, and will be the chain’s first seafood cafe, as opposed to its other sites which are restaurants or takeaways.
