ENNISKILLEN could lose out on up to 30 jobs if the Council refuse planning permission for a coffee shop in Omagh.
Coffee chain ‘Bob & Berts’, who started out in Portstewart and have since opened nine more outlets across the North, had been planning on opening a new premises in Omagh before moving on to open another new premises in Enniskillen. However, after being informed planners from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council were intending on denying their application for the Omagh outlet, the owners are now rethinking their plans.
That means if permission is refused, the wider Council area could lose out on up to 60 jobs.
Speaking to the Fermanagh Herald, Bob & Berts managing director Colin McClean said: “We’ve already been told verbally they are going to refuse the permission, but we’re waiting on written confirmation. We’re meeting with the planners this week to put our case forward, so we will wait and see.”
Mr McClean said each new Bob & Berts outlet begins by employing 20-30 employees, and the coffee shops open from 8am-9pm. After they opened their Omagh coffee shop, the company planned on then opening a premises in Enniskillen. While they have not ruled out that move entirely, the planning issues have dampened their enthusiasm.
“We’ve been down in Enniskillen around three or four times but we’ve yet to identify a location,” said Mr McClean. “If we don’t get this location we were looking at, that will be Omagh ruled out. Enniskillen is possibly still on the cards, but this is certainly making things more difficult.”
Mr McClean said they had applied for ‘change of use’ planning permission for the premises in Omagh last September, with the intention of opening in November, and received great support from locals in the area when they announced their plans on social media.
“It’s pretty illogical what they’re trying to do,” he continued. “We didn’t have this problem anywhere else. The premises has been empty since 2013, and the planners will say it was occupied by a charity drop-in shop, but what would that bring to the town?”
When contacted by the Fermanagh Herald, a spokesman for the Council said: “Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has received a change of use planning application for premises located on High Street, Omagh, from retail to hot food sit in cafe.
“No decision will be made on this application until all necessary information has been received by the Council from the applicant.
Each application is dealt with on its own merit and in accordance with the Local Development Plan and relevant policy.”
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