Councillor handed reprieve over rule-breaking cafe

A councillor’s cafe which opened two years ago without permission will be allowed to stay open.

Reform councillor Ritchie Massey opened Massey’s Cafe in a former clothes recycling centre in Oldbury at the end of 2024 without planning permission from Sandwell Council.

He was rejected retrospective planning permission for the cafe in Fountain Lane, Oldbury, in 2025 and then applied for planning permission for a second time in June – two months after being elected as a councillor.

Cllr Massey, the cabinet member for adult services, health and wellbeing at Sandwell Council, told the council the cafe was mostly frequented by customers working for nearby businesses who arrived on foot and that suitable empty units in Oldbury town centre were unavailable.

Sandwell Council had objected to the application in 2025 over concerns the cafe would undermine existing businesses in Oldbury town centre and for not providing enough parking spaces.

At the hearing on October 21, Cllr Luke Cotterill (Labour – Old Warley) said he had “quite a few concerns about the planning process associated with the application” and withdrew from the debate saying it was ‘inappropriate to participate.’

The four Labour councillors on the planning committee had informed chair Cllr Paul Snape (Reform – Wednesbury) they would be abstaining from voting who were then asked to leave the room.

Cllr Massey told the hearing he had “nothing further to add” with the five remaining five Reform councillors approving the retrospective application without debate.

Ahead of the meeting, Sandwell Council’s planners recommended that retrospective permission should be granted for the cafe.

The planning report said: “The applicant has demonstrated that the café would primarily serve employees and visitors within the surrounding employment area, with customer survey evidence showing that over 90% of patrons travel on foot or by public transport. As such, the use would function as a small-scale ancillary facility supporting the local employment area.

“The applicant has confirmed that the parking spaces within the surrounding business park are unallocated and available for use by visitors and employees within the wider employment area.

“Furthermore, numerous site visits undertaken throughout a single day found no evidence of parking stress, indiscriminate parking, or highway safety issues associated with the existing operation of the café.”

The application submitted in the summer said: “The premises operate as a small-scale café serving hot and cold food and drinks, primarily for consumption on the premises. The unit comprises a dining area, kitchen and staff toilet facilities.

“The café is a daytime operation with the majority of customers dining on-site. The proposal provides a local facility for workers within the employment area and supports local employment.”

By Christian Barnett | Local Democracy Reporting Service