Traders fear a ‘cafe epidemic’ in Windermere (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Traders fear a ‘cafe epidemic’ in Windermere

9:10am Friday 19th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

CONCERNED traders say Windermere is in danger of suffering a ‘cafe epidemic’.

Four applications to open food and drinks businesses have already been made this year and residents say there are several more in the pipeline.

Windermere town councillors recommended refusal for the latest proposed restaurant and cafe proposed for Main Road, Windermere, because of the proliferation of food outlets in the area.

One cafe-owner, who did not want to be named for fear of angering other traders, said the area would not support any more businesses in the food industry.

“Increased competition would lead to both new and existing businesses struggling to remain open through winter,” he said.

“We are worried about how our business will cope if we’re up against several other businesses who all cater for the same audience.”

Windermere town councillor John Walters said he would like to see other types of shops to attract the ramblers and walkers travelling through the area.

Adrian Faulkner, of Windermere and Bowness Chamber of Trade, said the influx of cafes reminded him of a similar boom in Chinese restaurants which moved into Windermere several years ago.

He said: “I can understand residents’ concerns because no one wants a town with only one type of shop.

“We can’t stop businesses from coming to Windermere as long as they can afford to pay their rent but if they don’t fit in with the needs of the area they won’t last.”

Windermere town centre manager Paul Holdsworth said a series of good quality cafes and restaurants was not necessarily a bad thing for Windermere.

“There have been several shops left empty after last year,” he said.

“From my perspective it would be much worse if people came to Windermere this summer and they were still not doing any business.

“We’ve got a fantastic range of shops and I’d rather see more cafes on our streets than empty shop windows.”

Your views

Tony Gibson, 50, has lived in Windermere for 20 years. He said: “Cafes have always done well round here and I think a lot of people have started to see that. It’s a tourist area and people are always looking for good value or unusual spaces to eat and drink.”

Richard James, 40, from Windermere, said the area needed a wider variety of shops or it might become purely a tourist town and lose its reputation as somewhere to shop.

He said: “At the moment I get all my shopping round here – I don’t want to have to go elsewhere for clothing or groceries.”

James Yarwood, visiting from Staffordshire, said: “I’m sure these businesses will do well in the tourist season but when winter comes back round Windermere might be left with a lot of empty shops.”