A popular Mediterranean-inspired restaurant has dropped plans for a city centre move.
Cardamom & Dill, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant run by chef Kate Burton, had planned to open on Gillygate.
But planning challenges over converting the former shop into a place to eat, have proved insurmountable.
A statement on its Facebook page said “challenges to our application have caused restrictions and conditions on the approval of the A3 licence”. It said:
-
Unfortunately the objections were raised without the other party even bothering to fully understand our proposition – amongst their concerns were ‘the noise, a late night licence, cooking odours and extraction’, none of which are issues associated with our consciously low impact brand.
As a result, the restrictions associated with the change of use granted to us late last week would have seriously limited our potential not only to grow our brand but our ability to deliver the level of service and flexibility we have established over the past year.
For that reason we have made the incredibly tough decision to walk away.
‘Taste sensation’
Cardamom & Dill began as a pop-up cafe in School House Gallery, Peasholme Green, two years ago.
It then opened in a unit at Spark:York on Piccadilly last November, where it gained glowing reviews on TripAdvisor.
Reviewers have called it the “best vegetarian food in York” and said that “every mouthful is a taste sensation”.
After abandoning the move into the Grade II listed building on Gillygate, owned by York Conservation Trust and last occupied by the York Makery, the restaurant is looking to the future
The Facebook statement concluded: “For the time being I will focus on pop-ups, trying to find a new home for our lovely Supper Club and private dining.
“Who knows what will happen. Onwards!”