The Tea Cabin, which has traded for decades on the promenade near the King’s Statue, was closed in May after owner Weymouth Town Council took back the kiosk and fenced off the site, prompting public anger and claims the operator had been “forced out” by a steep rent rise and legal wrangling.
In a new statement, Weymouth Town Council confirmed the café is now open again with a family business taking over the running of the cafe on a short term basis with a long term tenant to be sought later this year.
A spokesperson for the council said: “We’re pleased to announce that the Tea Cabin is now open again after extensive remedial work was carried out.
“The family business opened its doors (Friday) and is running the Tea Cabin on a short-term lease until September. A tender process for a longer-term lease will be going live in the autumn.”
Later the council said in response to questions on social media that the operators of the nearby Boat cafe were running the Tea Cabin.
The latest announcement follows the council’s decision to take “vacant possession” of the Tea Cabin on May 26, ending the existing lease over what it described as “ongoing rent arrears and breaches of the payment obligations set out under the lease terms”.
At the time, the authority insisted there had been no rent increase for 2026 and denied social‑media claims that it had used – or attempted to use – compulsory purchase powers to remove the café, saying it had not been involved in any compulsory purchase process since it was formed in 2019.
The outgoing operator is understood to have asked to continue trading for the 2026 summer season, citing concerns for staff and regular customers, but the council said allowing that would not have been “a financially viable risk” given the arrears and alleged breaches.
It instead moved to carry out remedial works to address “major health and safety concerns” before offering a short‑term licence for the summer, with a “more rigorous procurement process” promised in the autumn to secure a long‑term tenant.
Supporters described the Tea Cabin as part of Weymouth’s seaside heritage and a popular meeting spot, and some residents criticised the handling of the closure when fencing and notices went up around the café in May.
Weymouth Town Council has stressed it does not operate under a single seafront concessions policy but says it has a duty to pursue unpaid debts because it is dealing with public money.