A legal battle has broken out between Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum bosses and The Spitfire Café tenant Paul Glicksman over the siting of outdoor tables and benches.
Mr Glicksman, who also runs Paul’s Bistro, Frederick’s Tearoom and St Mildred’s Bay Bistro in Westgate, took over the Spitfire Café at Manston in 2022.
But a row about where the benches are placed has resulted in museum bosses removing and impounding them and both sides seeking legal advice.
Posting to Facebook, Mr Glicksman said: “(The benches) have been removed by the museum and impounded. They included the area in our lease from day one of taking over the cafe three years ago.
“We have email correspondence proving this between the manager and the chairman of the museum. We have been here nearly three years and loved every minute of it but recently the museum trustees and management have decided they want to make life very difficult for us.”
He says the museum management has informed him that the grass area isn’t included in the lease and they require £500 per month extra for the area with six benches on.
However, museum manager Robert Westbrook says the benches had been put outside the boundary line and The Spitfire Cafe was offered a deed of variation to the existing lease last September to include the area for an additional rent. Mr Westbrook says that Mr Glicksman “failed to engage in negotiations.”
The dispute has escalated and both sides have engaged legal representation.
Mr Glicksman said: “We have been the most accommodating tenants, giving the staff working full-time free meals every day and all the other staff a great discount and also all staff of the museum free drinks every day .
“(We) are disgusted by the museum’s behaviour and will be taking legal action against them.”
Mr Westbrook said the museum has also taken the legal route. He said: “I can confirm there is currently a dispute between the Museum and the tenant in our onsite café The Spitfire Café (Manston) Ltd, we consider this is an internal matter and has been in the hands of our solicitors for some time.
“The tables in question were sited outside of the red edged demise on the lease plan.
“Mr Glicksman was offered the opportunity in September 2024 of a deed of variation to the existing lease to include this area for an additional rent, but failed to engage in negotiations.
“Our position is that we have removed the benches from our land in accordance with the advice from our legal advisors Whitehead Monckton.”
Mr Glicksman is represented by Ed Foster of ELawyer Services Ltd.
