A GLASGOW restaurateur has paused the use of two temporary outdoor dining pods after residents raised complaints.
Giovanna Eusebi, who trades in the city's west end, said she had followed Scottish Government guidance which relaxed planning and building warrant regulations for temporary outside structures.
However she said she was told by council officials that the enclosed pods, on Gibson Street and Park Road, were "not what they were expecting". She said the local authority had not banned their use but she had taken the decision to pause bookings while she awaits further guidance.
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Ms Eusebi believes resident concerns may have centred on a mistaken belief that the structures were permanent.
She said: "We were given the space last March but didn't use it because we were in and out of Covid. We had to close our downstairs restaurant with 50 covers.
"We are now operating as a restaurant again but with 20 covers and 47 staff that's just not going to cut the mustard.
"In order to sustain our staff and our supplier and help our recovery we invested in dining pods.
"We haven't just gone rogue and erected them.
"We have in good faith relied upon the edicts of Scottish Government who have relaxed planning laws and the need to have planning permission to support hospitality's recovery and they have relaxed the need for building warrants as long as the structures are temporary.
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"I know the structure doesn't look temporary because it's so robust but it is - it only took two days to put up. It's fully compliant, it has windows that open up all around it. "It has proper flooring. We wanted to give people a really nice dining space to come back to. Although you are outdoors in, the fresh air still comes in.
"We have temporarily suspended the use of them because when I spoke to the council they said it wasn't what they thought. They haven't said we can't use them.
"We think it's the right thing to do but the clock is ticking, I'm now haemorrhaging staff because I don't have work for them. Two weeks ago I took on an additional 13 staff but I have no shifts for them now.
"We have temporarily suspended the use of them because we are in dialogue with the council.
"We welcome the Scottish Government's approach in relaxing planning laws and we understand the difficulties the council is facing.
"There are all these structures going up around the city and they are overwhelmed but I think there is a misunderstand that the pods are permanent."
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Ms Eusebi said she had been supported by her local MSPs.
"It's unprecedented times but it also takes big thinking. It's a temporary building, I can't stress that enough."
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