A leading Kent winemaker’s plans to build a cafe at its vineyard have been given the green light amid concerns over its tumbling share price.

Chapel Down, near Tenterden, is to demolish a disused greenhouse and convert part of a warehouse next to a shop to create the eatery.

The proposed cafe, which has been approved by Ashford Borough Council (ABC), will serve the 65,000 people a year who enjoy tours and experiences at the site off Smallhythe Road.

It comes weeks after the winery announced it had scrapped plans for a potential sale, which caused its share price to hit a new low.

The plans include indoor and outdoor seating on a covered terrace suitable for various functions, including business, performance, and dining events.

The ABC planning officer’s report states the application is an opportunity to support and sustain rural tourism while respecting the countryside's character.

“I am satisfied that the location for providing new tourist facilities is both appropriate and sustainable,” they said.

“The scale of the proposed extension is acceptable and provides visual interest with the materials sympathetic to the site's rural setting.

“The proposed use would increase the commercial activity within the vineyard.

“Considering the relatively small scale of the development, it is not considered it would result in an unacceptable level of noise and disturbance which would be reasonably expected of a tourism business use.

“The proposal has a neutral impact on the countryside and does not result in any significant or unacceptable visual harm. Therefore, the development is considered acceptable.”

Additional parking is not planned for the site, as the proposed cafe is intended to extend the stay of guests already on-site rather than attract additional visitors.

No objections were raised against the application, which was submitted in September.

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In October, the winery announced its ‘strategic review’ was complete and that “no transactions would create superior long-term shareholder value”.

This followed news the 2024 harvest would be almost half of that of the previous year - down to about 1,875 tonnes compared to 3,811 in 2023.

It came just weeks after the latest financial figures, published in September, showed that its pre-tax profits dropped a startling 98% to £40,000 for the six months up to June 30. That compares to £2.4 million in 2023.