The developer behind a controversial floating restaurant, which has enraged the owners of Britain's most expensive beach huts, has labelled the council's decision to reject his application as 'hypocritical' and 'ridiculous'.
Paul Trickett, 66, and his wife Virginia, 50, had sought to bring a fully licensed premises called Christchurch Harbour Kitchen to the waters of the idyllic Mudeford Spit in Bournemouth.
He has even begun building the float, which he says will seat around 50 people and had hoped to play 'ambient' music from 8am until 7pm while selling alcohol until 10.30pm with meals such as fresh fish, steak and lobster.
But a council meeting saw his licensing application thrown out, and the 66-year-old says he is now gearing up to take Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council to the courtroom.
Mr Trickett found himself locked in a weeks-long feud with hut owners on the Spit, who said they would be 'traumatised' by the disruption of their sea views and the prospect of drunken revellers urinating off the vessel.
