Kiosk in bid to add seats to Inverness riverside

A TINY Inverness coffee kiosk that took 16 years to win final planning permission on the riverside is facing another planning hurdle – to be allowed to have four folding tables with chairs for the comfort of their customers.

Andrew Travers and Robert MacBean, who operate the kiosk on a pedestrianised part of Ness Walk near St Andrews Cathedral, met with a Highland Council planner and were advised to lodge a planning application, which will cost about £400.

Mr Travers (25), who also runs the Whin Park boating pond with Mr MacBean, said: “We haven’t bought the furniture yet but if we get the go-ahead it will be something folding that we can take inside at close of business.

“This is our second year of trading at Ness Walk and basically we are responding to what some customers have been asking for, somewhere to sit and look at the river as they enjoy their refreshment. We are asking for four tables with three seats per table.

“If we get the permission then I don’t think £400 is too much to pay.”

The kiosk sells hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and waffles.

Back in 2002, local businessman Angus Macdonald applied for planning permission to build the 19ft long kiosk.

But due to a combination of red tape, objections from the cathedral, the local community council and a member of a cycling group, followed by a planning inquiry into stopping up the road for pedestrianisation, there were years of delay, although the kiosk was granted planning permission on three occasions during this time.

There were fears the kiosk would mean an area of natural beauty being destroyed and claims queues might impede the route for pedestrians and cyclists. But a government reporter found none of the concerns merited blocking the development.

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