News / Restaurants
Restaurant prepares for crunch decision on outdoor seating
Battle lines have been drawn ahead of a crunch decision on whether a popular Bristol restaurant can keep its outdoor seating.
Bravas tapas in Cotham Hill was left in limbo after its application to retain al fresco dining was deferred in November for council officers to consider further information.
More than 1,000 people have written in support, with just 14 against, making it one of the city’s most popular ever planning applications.
But officers recommended refusing the proposals in November – and have given the same advice to councillors on the planning committee who will make the decision on Tuesday.
Bravas founder Kieran Waite is fighting to keep the restaurant’s popular outdoor seating – photo: Yuliia Lipakova
The dispute centres on the nature and size of the structure immediately outside the restaurant.
Officers have maintained their objections that it would not leave enough space for a fire engine in an emergency and would hamper access to underground utilities as well as sweeping and cleansing the street, off Whiteladies Road in Redland, which was pedestrianised in 2021.
Their report to the committee said the narrow gap would also create conflict between pedestrians and cyclists on the shared cycle/footway.
It said the seating was considered permanent and that, to meet regulations of being a temporary structure, it would need to be able to be dismantled in less than two hours.
Restaurant founder Kieran Waite told Bristol24/7 that this is possible, saying that he confirmed with the company that supplied the seating area that it can be dismantled “in less than 90 minutes.”
The report also said that Bravas’s other outdoor seating area, on the opposite side of the road, was temporary and removable and so it was acceptable.
But Waite has sent the council evidence from independent experts to rebut the concerns.
He said the refusal recommendation, and the objection from Avon Fire & Rescue Service, rested heavily on the TDM’s assertion that the seating area would leave just 2.7 metres of space in the road, but that this measurement was inaccurate and was actually 3.8 metres – more than enough for a fire engine.
Waite said planning chiefs had suggested placing the structure on wheels so it could be moved quickly and that he was happy for that to be a condition of planning consent but that this had not been included in the officers’ report to Bristol city councillors.
Waite says losing the outdoor seating would put up to eight jobs at Bravas at risk – photo: Ania Zawislan
The committee report said: “The Local Planning Authority does not object to the existing area of temporary seating, however does object to the existing permanently structured seating area.
“The proposed structure does not leave adequate space for a fire tender to operate in this area.
“A minimum width of 3.7m is required. The remaining width is shown as 2.7m.
“This is insufficient for a fire tender to operate and therefore is a severe safety concern potentially putting the public at risk in the event of an emergency.
“Even if planning permission is granted for this application, the Highway Authority would be unable to grant a licence for it on the grounds of health and safety.
“This objection is to the structure, not the principle of outdoor dining.
Reports say that the distance between Bravas’ outdoor seating areas is not suitable for emergency vehicles – photo: Yuliia Lipakova
“The applicant’s assertions that the structure is fully demountable within two hours by a scaffolder will not satisfy the requirement for immediate emergency access, even if a scaffolder was immediately available, and would not be possible out of hours in an emergency situation.
“Given its size and location on the highway, the proposed permanent seating structure when compared to other seating areas on the street would appear bulky, taking up a large portion of the street.
“It is considered by officers that the size and stature of the structure would detract significantly from the street scene, and that allowing a structure of its nature would set a precedent for more, similar structures to be erected.
“This would create a sense of overbearing and overcrowding, and a sense of street clutter on Cotham Hill.”
Waite said planning permissions did not set precedents because each application had to be considered on its own merits, so it was purely speculative and hypothetical to suggest this would lead to more outdoor seating.
An independent chartered surveyor, who was commissioned by Bravas to carry out their own measurements, said in their findings: “In my expert opinion, there is adequate space for an emergency vehicle to perform its statutory duty.
“The structure adjacent to Bravas restaurant leaves adequate space for a fire tender to operate in this area.
“A minimum width of 3.7m is available as required and outlined in Transport Development Management Guidance.
“It is my expert opinion in this matter that the structure does maintain safe and adequate access on the highway for all users; particularly pedestrians, cyclists and emergency vehicles.”
The stretch of Cotham Hill has been pedestrianised since 2021 – photo: Yuliia Lipakova
In a written statement submitted ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, charity Empire Fighting Chance expressed their support for Waite and his team.
They wrote: “Bravas has raised over £15,000 for Empire Fighting Chance in 2025, which could fund 20 young people a place on Empire’s flagship 20-week Box Champions programme.
“This fundraising wouldn’t have been possible without Bravas’ outdoor space, as they hosted fundraising events, including a Christmas fundraiser in this space.
“It would impact our partnership if they were to lose the space as it would decrease their capacity to support our charity, plus it would threaten eight jobs for young people in Bristol.
“This would be a great loss for Bristol’s community, and we hope that an agreement can be made to allow Bravas to continue trading in its current format, utilising its outdoor space for the good of the city.”
Main photo: Ania Zawislan
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