Dear Supporter Just a quick update for you with regards to the latest news on The Beauty and the Bistro. The Basford Residents Association’s open public meeting held on 22nd June went, we felt, very well indeed and the support we received from the local residents was truly heartening. Jessica and I thank everyone who attended and supported our plans. Armed with this support, we feel increasingly empowered and determined to continue pursuing a sensible conclusion to our planning application. This decision we hope, will now be based upon credible planning issues rather than the personal motives of one particular neighbour (our ‘objector’) and the significant influence that she clearly carries! That said however, our ‘objectors’ attempts to influence the outcome of this public meeting would appear to have been thwarted by the rationalism and sensibility of all those who attended. This included the Chairman of the Association who, prior to the meeting received a phone call from our ‘objector’ strongly “requesting” that he and all the residents were to object to our new application. Both sensibly and thankfully, the Chairman refused the demand and informed her that it was the decision of each individual neighbour and not one that is coercible. A further £20,000 has now been spent on professional fees to help support and justify our second planning application (traffic reports/traffic consultation/town planners/solicitors/agents etc.). This was submitted on 15 June only to be promptly ‘invalidated’ by Stoke planning department for an architects arrow situated in the ‘wrong place’ on the architect’s drawing and a zero missing off the architect’s scale (he wrote 1:100 instead of 1:10). These minor technicalities have now been ‘resolved’ and the application has just been placed upon the planning website ready for public comment. We know that your time is precious but we would be indescribably grateful if could we ask you to support our application by either: a) Declaring your stance by selecting either ‘object’, ‘support’ or are ‘neutral’ OR / AND…. b) Writing a supportive sentence or two directly on the planning page/website. To do this is apparently far more ‘valuable’ than an online petition (and has added influence if you work or live in the vicinity to Brunswick House, on Etruria Road). Planning officers are obliged to take into account all public comments and so if there is shown to be overwhelming support, this HAS to be part of the decision making process. If you are willing to do either of these, please click on the link below and then “REGISTER” by entering your details (unless you registered previously). Once you are then logged in, you can leave any comments in the ‘Comments’ box by clicking on the ‘Comments’ tab or simply clicking ‘object, ‘support’ or ‘neutral’ if you prefer not to leave a comment. LINK: https://planning.stoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_STOKE_DCAPR_65860 If the link doesn’t work, please try typing www.planning.stoke.gov.uk/online-applications/ in your browser and then follow the registration process. Our planning application reference is 59949/FUL or you can use postcode ST4 6JR. In anticipation of you taking the time to help and support us, Jess and I thank you so very, very much. With our warmest regards Debbie and Jess