Shoppers visiting a south Essex town centre may soon be able to take a break from their bargain-hunting for a well-deserved cuppa.
An application to open a cafe in a vacant shop in The Precinct, Stanford-le-Hope, looks like winning planning permission.
Planning officers originally recommended refusal for the application when it went before Thurrock Council's development control committee.
They said it would result in too great a proportion of shops in the area being used as hot food outlets and reduce the viability of the shopping centre.
A plea from councillor Arthur Clarke (Lab, Stanford West) may have tipped the scales in the opposite direction.
Mr Clarke said: "I'm opposed to take-aways in Stanford but this application is for an English style cafe."
The committee referred the application back to planning officers and told them to come back with a different recommendation.
Published Tuesday, March 26, 2002
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