Cliff face work 'has cost restaurant £300 a day'
Lee Tyrrell of the Breakwater Bistro is frustrated the work is being carried out during his busiest time of year and says he has lost up to £300 a day since it started two weeks ago.
Mr Tyrrell claims the noise has led to would-be customers turning their back on his eatery because it disturbs the peace of the tranquil setting overlooking Tor Bay and Breakwater Beach.
A rock fell from the cliff face on to the beach below in February but Torbay Council has only recently begun to make the cliff safe.
They cordoned off a section of the beach two weeks ago and erected scaffolding.
The authority says it has taken months to inspect the area for damage, remove vegetation from the cliff face, prepare a detailed report and put the work out to tender.
The council insisted it has 'pulled out all the stops to ensure the work is completed before the start of the main summer holiday today,'
But Mr Tyrell believes it should have been done earlier in the year.
"I can't understand the mentality of it," he said.
"We've had no summer for two years and all of a sudden we get a heatwave and half the beach is closed.
"They started two weeks ago trimming the foliage and putting up ugly scaffolding. They've also got an ugly portable building on the beach and closed half of it off. The place looks an absolute mess.
"They've closed the coast path off too so there are no walkers, so I'm losing out on passing trade there as well. And now they've got noisy machinery here.
"It's so frustrating. It's a money making time for us but we've lost custom because of it, without a doubt..
"My take-away kiosk only works when there are people on the beach.
"It's the only beach in Brixham and for half of it to be closed in July is ridiculous."
When the two tonne rock fell earlier this year, the council sectioned off part of the beach.
They are spending £45,000 on the works.
A council spokesman added: "A large retaining wall and a road are situated on the top of the cliff face so it was essential the whole area was inspected thoroughly to assess the damage and the necessary work was completed.
"Simply removing the fallen rock could have led to far more serious consequences.
"If there had been another rock fall we may have been forced to close the road and shut off the beach.
"Following the rock fall a rope access specialist was appointed to remove vegetation from the cliff face before our consultant engineering geologist inspected it.
"The engineering geologist then prepared a detailed report which took three to four weeks to complete.
"Once we had a copy of the report we then worked out how we were going to fund the necessary work to stabilise the cliff face."
Two specialist rock stabilisation tendered for the work and the contract was awarded to Celtic Rock Services.
The work is due to finish today, the spokesman added.
