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The City of Edinburgh Council has announced it will allow restaurants to keep their temporary outdoor dining spaces for a further month, until Sunday, 31 October. After this date, planning and other permissions may be needed to continue the measures.
The council has also waived any fees and charges for outdoor area occupation permits until 31 December.
The provision will now continue to apply across the city, meaning all Edinburgh hospitality businesses are eligible, provided they apply for and obtain the relevant road occupation permit.
Adam McVey, council leader, said: “Unfortunately, we’re all still very much living through the effects of this pandemic. Our local pubs, cafes and restaurants have had an extremely tough 18 months and so and it’s really important we continue to do everything we can to support our local businesses as they begin to recover with many restrictions now no longer in place.
“This needs to be balanced with local needs and so that’s why if you created an additional structure for extra outdoor capacity during the pandemic, you need to apply for the appropriate permission after 31 October.”
Cammy Day, deputy leader, said: “Last year we streamlined the application process for using outdoor spaces for tables and chairs as part of our drive to support the city’s economic recovery.
“Our aim is to help businesses safely make use of outside space at no cost to them. We’re continuing to implement the permit system to allow us to monitor where businesses are providing outdoor space to make sure they are doing so appropriately and safely, while also taking into account the needs of local people.”
