Help us save the much-loved covered seating area at The Base Coffee Shop on Newcastle's Central Promenade, County Down.

The Base Coffee Shop has been served with a notice from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) requiring the removal of its distinctive outdoor awning structure.

We believe this decision deserves to be reconsidered.

A valued part of our community
The awning was installed during the COVID pandemic, at a time when businesses were encouraged to provide outdoor hospitality facilities to keep customers safe and support the local economy.

Since then, the covered seating area has become a familiar and much-loved feature of Newcastle's seafront.

It provides a welcoming place for residents and visitors to enjoy a coffee, meet friends, spend time with family and take in the beautiful surroundings of Newcastle and the Mourne Mountains.

Importantly, The Base Coffee Shop holds a pavement café licence covering the area occupied by the awning.

While the precise permissions relating to the structure itself need to be clarified, the café already has a licence for the use of this outdoor space.

Why saving the awning matters
Supporting local business

Independent businesses are the heart of our town. The covered seating area helps The Base Coffee Shop welcome customers throughout the year, supporting local employment and Newcastle's economy.

Providing shelter in all seasons

Anyone familiar with the Northern Ireland weather knows how valuable a sheltered outdoor seating area can be. The awning provides protection from rain, wind and sunshine, allowing customers to enjoy the seafront in greater comfort.

Enhancing Newcastle's appeal

Newcastle is one of Northern Ireland's most popular seaside destinations. Attractive, welcoming outdoor hospitality areas help create the atmosphere that makes our town special for residents and tourists alike.

Protecting something the community values

The awning has become part of the character of The Base Coffee Shop and the surrounding promenade. Its removal would mean losing a facility enjoyed by many customers and visitors.

We are calling for a fair and practical solution
We fully recognise the Department for Infrastructure's responsibility to ensure that public footways remain safe and accessible for everyone, including wheelchair users, people with mobility difficulties and families with prams.

We are not asking for these responsibilities to be ignored.

Instead, we are asking DfI, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and The Base Coffee Shop to work together to find a reasonable solution that allows the covered seating area to remain wherever legally and practically possible.

Specifically, we call upon the Department for Infrastructure to:

Reconsider the removal notice, taking account of the café's existing pavement café licence, the history of the awning and its importance to the local community.
Engage constructively with the café owners and the council to clarify the permissions required and explore whether the structure can be retained.
Consider reasonable modifications or additional permissions, where appropriate, rather than insisting upon complete removal.
Agree to pause enforcement, where legally possible, while these options are properly examined.
Add your voice – Help save The Base Coffee Shop's awning!
This is about more than an awning. It's about supporting local businesses, protecting valued community spaces and encouraging practical, proportionate decision-making.

If you believe Newcastle's independent businesses deserve a fair opportunity to preserve the facilities that make our town special, please sign this petition.

Every signature demonstrates the strength of community support.

Please sign, share and help us save The Base Coffee Shop's awning!