PUBS, cafes and restaurants will be charged to set up tables and chairs on Salisbury Market Square under the latest council plans.

Businesses on the square have not paid a fee for outside seating since 2011, before the square was refurbished.

But Salisbury City Council took ownership of the square from Wiltshire Council in April and has drawn up a set of rules for its use.

Conservative city council leader Matthew Dean said it did not seem right that some groups, including market traders, had to pay to use the space while others "seem to be free to do what they like in an unregulated fashion".

Lib Dem councillor Brian Dalton agreed and said the move was "a long time overdue".

He said when public events attracted people to the square, the pubs "certainly reaped the rewards of everyone buying their beer".

Labour's John Walsh questioned the plans and whether traders had been consulted.

Paul Henderson of Henderson's Artisan Bakery said: "I don't think it's fair or reasonable. We pay a significant amount in rates anyway which I hope would contribute to that.

"The square would be a dull, empty space without cafes using outside furniture to make it a vibrant, lively, attractive, enhancing place.

"At the moment all the businesses, ours and the other restaurants and cafes, make Salisbury a more lively place to be. To charge for that seems crazy.

"If the council wants everyone not to put chairs and tables outside it will be less attractive and that's absolutely nuts.

"Imagine the Market Square with no outside furniture, nowhere to sit, nowhere to drink, nowhere to enjoy lunch on a sunny afternoon.

"We are the soul of the city."

Mr Henderson also said he would expect the city council to do "a decent job" of cleaning the square which was "terrible at times".

"If they expect businesses to contribute further we would expect the to fulfill their obligations to keep it a tidy, clean attractive place," he added.

A consultation with individual traders is planned and Cllr Dean said he hoped the charges would be in place by Christmas.

Karl Regan, co-owner of La Piazza restaurant, said the plan was “absolutely rubbish”.

He said: “The pigeons in the trees s**t all over my customers, it’s not a decent area for customers to sit. I struggle day-to-day, even when the sun is out.”

Mr Regan said the pubs on the south side of the square could use their outdoor seating all day, but he could not.

“They make money out of that, I don’t,” he added.

Businesses previously paid a fee to Salisbury City Centre Management before it made way for Salisbury BID.

  • Conservative councillors Sven Hocking and Atiqul Hoque were elected committee chairman and vice chairman respectively at the meeting.