Latest news with #SitwellSupperClub
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
The local council treated me like a criminal when I set up a small business
Visits from His, and previously Her, Majesty's Constabulary have, thankfully, been thin on the ground. My crimes more usually, and often so thoughtfully pointed out by your good selves in the comments section, being more of grammar. So my heart leaps for a second if the boys, or indeed, girls in blue show up. There's a flutter of a butterfly in my tummy and I wonder what dastardly ancient deed, long forgotten, is at last catching up with me. The most recent visit being last year when a couple of chaps in uniform drove up to the house, knocked on the door and reported a call from two small boys who had dialled 999 and reported: 'We're starving.' I had been washing up breakfast at the time so was unaware of their antics until The Fuzz turned up on the doorstep. While I could appreciate the irony of a food critic filling his own selfish gob to the detriment of others, we all agreed that it was a rather fine practical joke and no further false claims have ensued. The other time the force showed up was when I had the temerity to use our cow shed, a large structure built in the 1980s, to entertain locals at what I call Sitwell Supper Club. The concept is simple: I employ the services of a great chef (using my contacts in the business gathered over many years as a food writer), folks buy tickets and are given dinner along one long and glorious table that seats some 70 people. The idea took hold more than four years ago when we moved to a lovely patch of rural Somerset, off the rolling wilds of Exmoor. I had run such events at our old home in Northamptonshire and as the new place came with an empty old shed, I sourced some steel tables, gathered some grills, popped in a sink, bought a simple loo block – Sitwell's Compostable Lavatorial Facility – and rustled up a few chefs (the likes of Adam Handling, Atul Kochhar, Anna Haugh, Rowley Leigh and Cyrus Todiwala). Then I sold tickets, swept the floor, laid the tables and welcomed in the locals. I also sold them wine using my alcohol licence. Naively, I thought this was all fine and dandy. The locals were happy, when they weren't cold, I employed a local team on service and urged my chefs to purchase local produce. All went well until I had an email from the police in summer 2021. 'I don't recall seeing any Temporary Event Notices,' went one missive. I quickly checked and hustled up a dozen. A few weeks later, another email popped up. 'Following the Govt. advice on Covid regulations, can you confirm that this event has now been cancelled?' The event began in about two hours. 'Jeepers,' I thought. 'The events are seated meals,' I replied, my heart pumping. 'And my understanding is that we can operate within the guidelines with table service and socially distanced tables.' That did the trick. 'I am contacting those that may now be breaching guidelines. Thank you for the clarification,' came a reply. And off she went to search for others in the hospitality sector whose hands she could cuff. In the months that followed, further emails popped up. 'What crime have I committed now?' I wondered each time, my not unrealistic presumption on each occasion being that police only get in touch when there are crimes suspected or crimes perpetrated. Each one always began: 'Good afternoon, Mr Sitwell' or 'Good evening, Mr Sitwell', just as you might expect a police officer to address a person. And having enjoyed my fair share of telly over the years, the expected follow-up being: 'And if you'd like to get into this here van perhaps you might be good enough to come down to the station and answer a few questions.' My hands are literally shaking as I look back at these emails. My instinct is to reply with massively over-the-top politesse which, even if they don't perceive it, makes me feel like I'm guilty as hell. A meeting was duly arranged with the policewoman as I endeavoured to apply for a premises licence. I welcomed her to my shed. 'The bodies, I mean tables, are positioned this way,' I explained. As it happens, she was delightful and encouraging. Perhaps The Plod are like this with criminals; it puts them at their ease, fooling them into revealing the whereabouts of the lead piping. Indeed, post-meeting, a terrifying email turned up. 'CCTV cameras must be installed… the premises must operate a 'Challenge 25 policy'… training must be refreshed and documented… records must be kept of refusals to sell alcohol to persons who may be intoxicated… risk assessments must be in place…' and so forth. But the licence was duly granted and all went well until I had a missive from the local council. 'Under planning laws, a change of use of the building has occurred (no longer agricultural use) and as such planning permission is required.' Back came that familiar feeling of hollow terror. What a foolish error I had made, feeding humans rather than cows. I hired a pro to do the paperwork, filled in the forms, paid the fee and suffered the loss of profit from three events. I can now hold 12 dinners a year in my shed, enough for me to bear, frankly, but as a restaurant critic who runs events, a mere poacher with his toe in the game-keeping world, my heart feels for those in hospitality. I clean the place, market the events, switch off the lights and do everything in between once a month. But so many thousands who toil in this most essential of industries, battered by tax, low margins and a reluctant public, do so under the constant fear of breaking rules and regulations. Councils should champion hospitality ventures, congratulate them, put an arm around them and encourage them.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Masterchef judge attacks local council after he claims it cut the number of supper clubs he can hold at his farmhouse
Controversial Masterchef judge William Sitwell has launched an extraordinary attack on his local council after he says it effectively cut the number of supper clubs he can hold at his rural Somerset farmhouse. Mr Sitwell - who resigned as editor of Waitrose Food magazine in 2018 after joking about killing vegans - blasted council planners after he was forced to apply for permission to continue holding the Sitwell Supper Club events at his £800,000 Rooks Nest Farm near Taunton. The outspoken food critic recently discovered that he was technically in breach of planning rules by holding the evenings in a former cow shed on the farm, because he was feeding humans rather than animals. In response, he had to apply to Somerset Council for a change of use for the building, switching from agricultural use to accommodate dining events. Although the application was granted, it was with the condition that he can only hold 12 events a year. He says he had previously held a premises licence which allowed him two a week, meaning the number he can hold has considerably reduced. 'I had a premises licence granted for events on a Friday and Saturday of every week,' Mr Sitwell explained. As far as I was concerned it was kosher. Several years later this thing then popped up - I was in technical breach because I was feeding humans rather than cows or horses in an agricultural building. 'Now I can only hold 12 a year. What councils should be doing is opening their arms to say how can we help you, not how can we make life hard for you? 'The principle is completely absurd. I hire local people. I entertain local people. I buy products from local people. I buy beer from local people. 'Profit margins are very small and I haven't jacked up my prices. I'm obsessed, passionate and bonkers about these supper clubs. There is this real sense of happiness and fun and that I have created something extraordinary. 'When I'm cleaning loos or scrubbing tables and I'm thinking the local authority isn't helping me it does make me wonder 'Why do I do it? I literally do not understand it.' Foodie Mr Sitwell bought remote Rook's Nest Farm with his wife Emily in October 2020. He began holding supper clubs not long after, bringing in often Michelin-starred chefs to cook a full meal for paying guests. In documents for the planning application, his agent said: 'Mr Sitwell owns Rook's Nest Farm and he is an author, editor, journalist and food critic and is instrumental within the surrounding area for promoting the use of local food produce within public houses and restaurants and recently spearheaded the Dulverton Restaurant Festival which involved not only many of the local eateries and but also local food and drink suppliers. 'The event was extremely well supported and demonstrated that the interest that the owners of such businesses have in such an event but also the great interest from the local community. 'The events that he has held at Rook's Nest Farm have also been very successful and are always sold out in advance. His angry comments come after he was forced to apply for planning permission to continue holding the Sitwell Supper Club events 'Such events provide a highly valuable social and community service whereby local suppliers get the opportunity to highlight their produce and services and local people get the opportunity to attend high quality dining experiences without having to leave the county.' The documents stated that Mr Sitwell is currently running around eight events a year, with around 65 diners and 10 staff. 'This application is for the change of use to allow this building and yard areas to be used for social functions that the applicant provides and manages himself, and this for the most part is creating a dining experience in a rural setting, where Mr Sitwell engages exceptional chefs and catering staff to create a high quality dining experience utilising where possible locally sourced produce,' it went on. Tobias Palmer, senior ecologist at Somerset County Council, warned of lighting affecting bats while transport bosses told Mr Sitwell to install some electric vehicle charging points to encourage the use of EVs. A planning officer's report recommended approval, adding: 'The conversion of the barn supports the rural tourism economy providing both employment and social benefits to the community. 'The development would have no adverse impact on ecology, subject to conditions, or highway safety. 'The consent is limited to 12 (supper club) functions a year to manage impacts on nearby residents, with the sale of alcohol controlled through a separate licensing process.' Mr Sitwell said he felt the 12-a-year limitation was effectively 'limiting my ability to trade' and said council departments needed to communicate more effectively. The Australian-born chef has insisted 'he had absolutely no recollection' of using a racist term while drinking with colleagues seven years ago A spokesperson for Somerset Council said they were under the assumption that Mr Sitwell had agreed to 12 events a year via his agent. More events could be held in future, but it would need a revised application, they added. They said: 'The decision on the number of events was taken based on the information the applicant provided.' It comes after huge controversy surrounding the BBC show with the sacking of both presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace. Torode was dramatically axed from MasterChef - hours after the BBC's director general refused to back him over an allegation of using racist language. The corporation said the host's contract would not be renewed after a report found he had used an 'extremely offensive racist term' during drinks after filming the show. The complaint against Torode was revealed in the report into co-presenter Gregg's inappropriate behaviour. Wallace, 60, was sacked after dozens of complaints against him were upheld. It comes as reports suggest the Australian chef could take legal action against the BBC after he was sacked from MasterChef. Sources suggest the chef is 'preparing to launch a lawsuit against the BBC' and wants to pursue bosses for unfair dismissal. New reports have claimed the BBC sacked John Torode after he allegedly 'used the N-word twice while singing along to a Kanye West song'. The MasterChef host, 59, was reportedly singing the rapper's hit Gold Digger when he was allegedly 'caught using the racist term during after work drinks six or seven years ago'. The Sun claims Torode used the word again whilst chatting to a friend on the MasterChef's production team, who didn't take offence. The Australian-born chef has insisted 'he had absolutely no recollection' of using a racist term while drinking with colleagues seven years ago. The person who raised the complaint is understood to have 'overheard the conversation'. The production pal allegedly backed Torode and said he only used the racial slur as an 'example' and 'apologised afterwards'. A witness told investigators he had apologised immediately, 'was mortified' and 'didn't use the term as a slur' in 2018. The BBC said on Tuesday that Torode's contract would not be renewed after a report found he had used an 'extremely offensive racist term' during an evening out after filming the show. The corporation has refused to say what the racist term was - as has Torode, who has claimed he did 'not believe that it happened'. MasterChef bosses are reportedly pushing to air Gregg Wallace and John Torode's final series 'when the dust settles' after they were both sacked from the cooking show. The upcoming series' - which have already been filmed - features former I'm A Celeb star and restaurant critic Grace Dent, who replaced Wallace to co-host with Torode. The Sun reports that The BBC and production company Banijay plan to air both the amateur and celebrity editions. However, MailOnline understands BBC director general Tim Davie, who has the final say, has not yet made his decision on whether MasterChef will or will not be aired.
