Cafe forced to close after fairground ride blocks door

A Grantham cafe owner was forced to shut up shop for three days this week after a fairground ride was set up just three feet in front of his front door.

Paul Meakin, 31, says he wasn't concerned about the town's Mid-Lent Fair, as it had taken place for years with no problems. However, when he arrived at Cafe Leo for work on Monday morning, he found the ride so close that he couldn't get the door open fully.

And once he'd squeezed inside, he found that the cafe had been plunged into darkness by the looming ride.

"It was literally three feet away from the window. Who could ever think that was a good idea? What customer wants to sit having a coffee and look out the window at the back end of a giant fairground ride. It was just really inconsiderate to say the least," he told the Grantham Journal.

"I had no choice but to close on health and safety grounds. Takings are down over £1,000 at least."

The ride remained in place until the fair closed on Wednesday night. South Kesteven District Council has promised Mr Meakin that it won't happen again, but said it was impossible to move the ride once it had been put in position.

Mr Meakin says he's asked the council for compensation, and that the council has agreed to discuss the matter with the owner of the ride and look into it.

In this case, the blocked access was only temporary. However, some homeowners have been horrified to discover that they have no rights at all after neighbours have prevented access to their property.

Last November, a Nottingham woman found she had no redress after the council built a new roundabout that prevented her using her drive. She says she's now having difficulty selling her house.

And only last week, we reported on the case of James Godman, who can no longer park two cars on his drive following BT's erection of a broadband box. Because the box isn't on Mr Godman's land or actually blocking a dropped kerb, the company is within its rights.

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