Cafe’s al fresco plans spark cosmopolitan vision of ‘Scalloway-sur-Mer’

Cornerstone Cafe pictured during the last reopening in July. Photo: Dave Donaldson. 

Al fresco drinking and dining proposals have conjured up a cosmopolitan vision of “Scalloway-sur-Mer”.

The Cornerstone’s application to serve alcohol in its outdoor seating area was approved on Monday after a debate on road safety, French cigarettes and continental café culture.

Licence holder Terry McCaffrey was seeking permission to serve food and alcohol to up to 20 seated customers from 11am-9pm.

But the prospect of drinking and live music was a source of possible concern for Lerwick North and Bressay member Stephen Leask who asked chief inspector Stuart Clemenson for his thoughts on noise and nuisance.

Mr Clemenson said any outside licence would create “an element of public nuisance” but they were “well established” in Shetland and throughout the UK.

The police chief said the use of any outdoor area would be “weather permitting”.

“And it is Shetland, at the end of the day, I can’t really see a huge call for outdoor drinking areas,” he added.

Mr Clemenson said outdoor drinking had risen in popularity following the smoking ban and more recently during the pandemic when there were restrictions indoors.

He said it had become “very cosmopolitan, very French and very European”.

“But I honestly don’t see it causing too much of a problem,” he added.

Shetland North member Tom Morton said he was interested by the chief inspector’s “assertion that we are going all French with our open air drinking”.

“The vision of Scalloway-sur-Mer comes to mind,” he added.

While welcoming such a prospect, Mr Morton noted concerns that open air drinking  became “an excuse for smoking areas” resulting in littering.

“I hope it won’t become an opportunity for people to smoke their Gitanes,” he said.

 Shetland Central member Catherine Hughson pointed out that Mr McCaffery kept a “very tidy establishment” and could often be seen with his broom sweeping the outside area.

Several safety issues were highlighted around the proximity between the drinking area and the road as well as Fraser Park.

Mr Pearson suggested signs could be put advising customers not to take alcohol off the premises, into the park.

Mr Leask also suggested “some sort of barrier” could be put up for road safety reasons to keep people in the area.

Shetland Central member Moraig Lyall had questioned whether such requirements would set a precedent for all venues with outdoor seating and suggested the licensee’s statement that all customers would be seated should be sufficient.

Members eventually decided to include the advisory recommendations.

While recognising they are not compulsory, Mr Leask suggested that McCaffrey, as a responsible owner, would seek to implement the board’s advice.