Statement from Weymouth Town Council – The Tea Cabin
The Tea Cabin café on Weymouth’s seafront has temporarily closed and will reopen to the public at a later date.
The lease agreement for the property has been ended due to ongoing rent arrears and breaches of the payment obligations set out under the lease terms. A new provider will need to be appointed to take over the lease.
Q. Has Weymouth Town Council taken back The Tea Cabin site?
A. Weymouth Town Council took vacant possession of the Tea Cabin on 26th May 2026.
Q. Why have Weymouth Town Council taken back the site?
A. The lease agreement for the property has been ended due to ongoing rent arrears and breaches of the payment obligations set out under the lease terms.
Q. Has the ground rent for the site increased?
A. There has been no increase in rent for a number of years.
Q. Has there been any compulsory purchase process relating to this site in recent years?
A. Weymouth Town council has at no point since its existence in 2019 been involved in any compulsory purchase process.
Q. Did the operator request permission to trade for the 2026 summer season?
A. The operator did request permission to trade, however due to ongoing rent arrears and breaches of the payment obligations set out under the lease terms, this was not a financially viable risk that the Council were willing to take.
Q. What are the Council’s plans for the site going forward?
A. Following remedial works to address major health and safety concerns at the site, the café will become available for a short term licence to cover the summer months. A more rigorous procurement process will be undertaken in the autumn to procure a longer term tenant.
ENDS