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Ever since one of the restaurants around the corner from us was taken over we've been having problems with them. Right next to them is an exit from our house, basically an alleyway which was closed off with a door and had a roof added. In there we keep our bicycles and various other stuff. On either side of the door is a restaurant.
The one on the right only has little space between our door and theirs. A couple of years ago they put two big tubs with a small tree in each in the in between space. Since then not only have the trees grown outwards, branches sticking out in front of our door, but they also moved the tubs closer towards our door. Making you have to duck underneath the branches when exiting. Yes, it's tempting to take the pruning shears and lop of the in the way branches, but I don't want to cause drama. We've pushed back the tubs several times now.
On the left side is the outdoor seating area of another restaurant. The previous owner kept a good eye on it that his customers wouldn't block our door. But the new owner hasn't. He often puts the tables on the boundary (there are discs on the ground indicating where he is allowed to put his outdoor seating) in such a way that when nobody is sitting at the tables they aren't in front of the door, but when the chairs are pulled out people are sitting in front of the door. Regularly they put their chairs and tables in front of it. When you ask them not to do that anymore, when the chef/manager comes into our store. You either get a vague mumbling or we're told to just move their furniture. After Covid it has been getting worse. And the last couple of weeks they have been blatantly putting their seating right in front of our door.
So yesterday, after I saw that their wheelie bins were blocking the door *again* (they always blame the binmen) I finally had it and put in a complaint with the council. For both restaurants. That they are blocking an emergency exit and that they know that this is an emergency exit. Now, I'm not expecting much; our current council loves the "horeca" (HOtels, REstaurants and CAfés). I should hear within 5 business day, so if that doesn't happen I'll call them.
Personally I think the restaurant with the tables and chairs are just butthurt when we didn't accept his offer to buy our building. And if he thinks we're difficult he'll will soon know we weren't. In September the builders from the new owner will start on the ground floor and basement, and that exit is a good place now only to store materials and tools, but also to use to remove rubble and trash (any skips they'll use will be placed right across from the door). And builders won't ask nicely if they will please move their furniture. The plan is also to make that door the entrance to the apartments that will be build upstairs. So even after the renovations they won't get that space back. And the new owner is a very nice man, but a hard business man. He most likely got contacts within the council and he'll have lawyers he won't mind using of any of the two restaurants misbehave. It's a shame I won't be there for most of it to play out.
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