A row over a new coffee shop at Rainham Shopping Centre rumbles on between Medway Council and local traders.

The local authority's planning committee deferred an application to convert a former pet store into a cafe, run by Cheryl Wilson of Tick Tocks Coffee and Kitchen Ltd, at a meeting in Chatham's Gun Wharf.

Medway councillors reached the decision after four traders within the precinct strongly opposed the proposal, including Centre Cafe, Star Grill, Quick Dry Kenn and Rainham Traders, along with 272 people.

Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti (Con) was also among them.

Many said there were a shortage of local retailers and added that "Rainham Shopping Centre is oversaturated with cafes and restaurants".

Ward councillor Martin Potter (Con), a member of the planning committee, said he recently met with traders to discuss their anxieties.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting service: "There is concern about another coffee shop and restaurant to add to the vitality of the town centre."

But, the portfolio holder for education also urged the landlord of Rainham Shopping Centre to work closely with traders and "look at the bigger picture".

Of the 102 units in the High Street shopping centre, 55 are shops compared to just six restaurant and cafes, Medway Council officers said.

The retail unit has been vacant since December 2017, but Ms Wilson's proposal would be for a coffee shop to serve drinks and food, cooked and baked fresh on the premises.

If granted, the first floor of the proposed 116m² store would include a community area for baking and craft activities.

A Medway Council paper published to the committee for Wednesday's meeting stated: "Although the letters of representation received have suggested Rainham Shopping Centre is oversaturated with cafes and restaurants....there are currently six units compared to 55 shops and retailers.

"There is concern about another coffee shop and restaurant"

"Therefore, it is not considered that the sustainability of the shopping area would be significantly harmed.

"The proposal would also result in an empty unit being brought back into use which would otherwise have been left empty, and has been since 2017 according to council tax records."

If granted, the premises would open between 8am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays; Saturdays from 8am to 7pm and 9am to 6pm on Sundays to public holidays.

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