Temporary trading licences for outdoor seating at Penarth Esplanade will be considered by the Vale council.  

The licences allow hospitality businesses to trade on the public highway and were issued during the pandemic.  

Next week (Thursday, June 23), the cabinet will review a report which includes plans for public consultation and engagement on the future of Penarth Esplanade. Traffic management and public realm implications will also be mentioned. 

Should proposals be approved, these licences would be extended on a month-by-month basis while views on the management of the Esplanade are collected. 

The temporary licences in place had been due to expire at the end of the month (June 30) and this was met with disappointment from residents and traders. 

A petition was set up by Jemma Angove and collected thousands of signatures. 

Cllr Mark Wilson, the cabinet member for Neighbourhood and Building Services, said: "There has been significant improvement in the public realm in and around the Esplanade, with the council investing heavily in the Pier Pavilion.  

"We have also carried out a widescale painting programme of the pier and Esplanade alongside improvements to pavements and the road surface. 

"There is a significant public interest in this issue and differing opinions on whether external dining and licensed areas are a positive or negative feature at this location. 

"If proposals are approved, the council will launch a comprehensive public engagement exercise to establish the views of all interested parties regarding future trading arrangements. 

"Those opinions would then be compiled and properly analysed before a decision on the best way forward is taken."