Plans for new waffle bar with 'Instagram zone' hit stumbling block over fears customers will have to ‘make their own toilet arrangements’

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Plans for a new 'waffle and shakes bar' in Stockport have hit a stumbling block after councillors demanded more detail on the venue’s toilet facilities.

Shakedown - which also has restaurants in Withington and Wythenshawe - wants to add a third location near Cheadle Hulme railway station, in Stockport.

The company, also known for its burgers, has applied to take over a former education centre at Metropolitan House, in Station Road.

READ MORE : Stockport council to plough £1.25m into six schemes to help bring borough back

With seating for 24 people, it would feature an Instagram zone where customers photograph themselves with an ‘artistic display’ before sharing their images on social media.

The proposal went before Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme South area committee on Thursday night - but councillors refused to back the scheme, citing a lack of detail and information.

Members raised concerns that facilities for customers appeared to consist of just one disabled toilet.

Despite being advised the internal layout was not a planning consideration, councillors were not prepared to support the change-of-use proposal.

Coun Mark Hunter said: “It’s not the layout, it’s the provision of basic facilities. There are no public conveniences in that vicinity.

“The concern we would have as members - and I’m sure it’s an understandable one - is that if there are insufficient facilities being provided, logic dictates people are going to have to make ‘alternative arrangements’, to phrase it as delicately as I can.

“And that is most definitely not something we would want to encourage anywhere, let alone in the middle of this area. I just find the advice baffling that it’s not a relevant consideration.”

Coun Hunter said there were ‘too many