- Local businesses, the first minister of Wales and judge’s son rally in support of restaurant after ‘nuisance’ complaint
- Summer Palace bills itself as one of Cardiff’s longest established Cantonese restaurants
A Chinese restaurant that has served up Cantonese cuisine in a village in Wales for 32 years faces a court battle to stay in business, after one of the UK's most senior judges who bought a house next door objected to kitchen smells wafting through his window.
The local authority decided to take legal action against Wai Chim, proprietor of the Summer Palace in the well-heeled hamlet of Llandaff near Cardiff, following a complaint by Lord Justice Sir Gary Hickinbottom, who was knighted by the Queen in 2008 and is a member of the Queen's Privy Council.
But neither the High Court judge nor the local authority was counting on the subsequent uproar from loyal customers of the popular restaurant which sits directly opposite The Old Bishop's Palace, in one of the village's oldest buildings.
Local businesses, the local MP, the first minister of Wales and now the judge's own son have rallied in support of Chim.
Hickinbottom and his wife, Lady Georgina, complained to the council after buying the property as a second home three years ago. Cardiff Council's environmental health service found his complaint to be justified.
The Summer Palace has a five-star food hygiene rating, the highest that exists, and Cham spent almost GBP20,000 (US$26,000) installing an extractor fan in an effort to appease the judge.
The Summer Palace should not be closed down. @KevinBrennanMP and I have jointly written to the Local Authority to express our support. pic.twitter.com/N3MuxhLOAG
" Mark Drakeford AM (@MarkDrakeford) January 21, 2020
However, Chim, who came to Britain from Hong Kong in the 1970s, failed to get proper permission for it and now faces prosecution. The case is scheduled to be heard on February 13 at Cardiff Magistrates Court, but it is hoped an out-of-court settlement can be reached before then, according to the council's press office.
"We understand that Mr Chim has already gone to extensive lengths " and costs " to ensure that his business has as little impact as possible on the restaurant's neighbours," said the local MP Kevin Brennan and Welsh Assembly Member Mark Drakeford, in a letter of support.
"Any further costs will threaten the future of the business. We are not aware of any previous complaints having been raised, and Summer Palace has a reputation as a responsible business and has a food hygiene rating of five."
Local residents and businesses sent letters of support and also took to social media to protest.
"This is outrageous," tweeted local resident Mark Letman.
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"Summer Palace has been a Llandaff village institution for decades. 2 judges who OPTED to move in next door are now filing a case in court complaining about smells and noise. If they moved next to railway line would they file to close down British Rail."
This is outrageous. Summer Palace has been a Llandaff Village institution for decades. 2 judges who OPTED to move in next door are now filing a case in court complaining about smells and noise. If they moved next to railway line would they file to close down British Rail?! https://t.co/TtI3Lqhuy8
" Mark Letman (@wingnut1927) January 17, 2020
"I delivered my letter on Sunday but when I walked past the restaurant 1st thing this morning the pile of letters you could see through the door had to be seen to be believed " they're still coming! Such amazing support for the Chims. Lets hope sense prevails," tweeted local opera singer and music teacher Elizabeth Atherton.
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The former Welsh rugby player Jonathan Davies, OBE, has also his expressed his support for the Summer Palace.
"I support Summer Palace 100%. If Cardiff Council close it down it would be a travesty. Come on support your local business and let's have a bit of common sense in these mad times," he tweeted.
Yes and I support summer palace 100% if @cardiffcouncil close it down it would be a travesty. Come on support your local business and let's have a bit of common sense in these mad times. https://t.co/74YYPqQwnN
" Jonathan Davies OBE (@JiffyRugby) January 18, 2020
Local Conservative councillor Sean Driscoll said 70,000 people had engaged with his tweets on the subject.
Perhaps the most stinging criticism of Judge Hickinbottom came from his estranged son, Emyr Hughes, a local businessman.
"It's typical of my father, trying to bully people," he told The Daily Mail.
"People need to know that he used to be a regular customer there and loved the Chinese food. But, after moving next door, now he wants to close the place down because of the smell."
A spokesman for the council said: "As a council if a complaint is received what is regarded to be a statutory nuisance we had to investigate. It was deemed as a statutory nuisance."
Chim, described by his supporters as a modest and humble man, did not respond to South China Morning Post's requests for comment.
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