Is Newbury's al fresco dining a hazard for pedestrians?

There has been a plethora of complaints on social media about accessibility and safety along Northbrook Street, with some claiming that al freso seating and accompanying signage outside Pret a Manger and Cote is cluttering up the town and forcing some pedestrians to walk into the road which is open to traffic before 10am and after 5pm.
Some people have said that there is insufficient space between outside seating and the cycle stands and information points on the street.
When planning permission for Cote was approved last year, it was granted on the condition that exterior decking, planters, tables, chairs and barriers should not be on display until the cycle stands outside the restaurant had been relocated.
The council said the condition was to ensure that the 1.75-metre gap between the decking/barriers and the information totem was safe for pedestrians and road users.
A spokesman for West Berkshire Council, Keith Ulyatt, said: “There were public Facebook photos and comments about the limited room for pedestrians because of the large planters (outside Cote). It was immediately apparent these overstepped the planning consent, so we asked for them to be removed and that has now been done.
“There was also a condition that they should first relocate the bike stands. They have applied for that condition to be lifted and that application will now have to be dealt with.”
One local person on Twitter, Julia Moore, said: “I would like the pavements to be a safe place for all users.”
Unlike Cote, Pret a Manger did not include details of its external seating arrangements in its original planning application – and instead put in a separate application for outside seating, which was subsequently approved by the district council.
When Pret a Manger was granted planning permission for outside seating, the council said that the barriers, tables, chairs and planters should be removed when the premises are closed at 6.30pm to reduce the risk of accidents to pedestrians.
As our picture shows, there does not seem to be enough space for pedestrians or in this case, mobility scooters to pass safely.
Other places with al fresco seating include Starbucks in Northbrook Street and the majority of pubs and restaurants in the Market Place.
The ‘cafe quarter’ was one of the aims of the Newbury Vision, which aimed to create a more vibrant town centre.
The vision also highlights the importance of promoting public spaces and routes that are attractive, safe, uncluttered and work effectively for all, including disabled and elderly people.