THE owners of a riverside bar in York have been turned down in their bid to extend its outdoor seating area.

Marstons PLC applied to City of York Council for permission to add 14 more tables to the pedestrian walkway outside the Pitcher and Piano, which overlooks the River Ouse, and to be allowed to operate the pavement café for an unlimited period. The existing consent for the drinking and dining area expires at the start of 2016.

Council planners said they did not object to the area staying open permanently, but the scheme should be rejected because the extra seating between the bar and the neighbouring City Screen cinema would be “over-dominant” and could block people using the walkway.