a masterchef contestant who built a restaurant in a hut in her back garden may have to pull it down after failing to get planning permission kathryn minchew, who was a semi finalist on the bbc show, set up a restaurant in a finnish summer house in her back garden   but it has now got her in hot water with the local council now mrs minchew, who was a contestant on the show in 2008, may have to pull down the 'food hut' she opened at her home in gloucester, because she did not secure planning permission scroll down for video  masterchef semi finalist kathryn minchew (pictured) may have to pull down the ‘food hut’ she opened in the back garden of her home in gloucester because she did not secure planning permission  she opened her tiny 'gloucester studio' eaterie last november and it has proved popular with locals because of its intimate atmosphere the restaurant features just two tables and opens for exclusive bookings and special events only built around a single hexagonal table it seats just six diners, who all sit across from each other on wooden benches that are covered in reindeer hide a summer house was already in the garden when mrs minchew and her husband james moved in   but she did not realise she had to apply for planning permission to use it as a restaurant but gloucester city council officials visited the restaurant and told her she must apply for if she has any hope of keeping it mrs minchew opened her tiny 'gloucester studio' eaterie last november and it has proved popular with locals  the restaurant features just two tables and only opens for exclusive bookings and special events  'when i first looked into building my studio, my builders and i believed that planning permission was not necessary,' she said 'it was only at the end of the year that someone from gloucester city council contacted me 'i immediately invited him to visit and he is satisfied about the business activity but he felt that contrary to my research, planning permission was needed 'i don't think you can really take something like that personally and everyone i have been in contact with has been lovely' mrs minchew's creation was inspired by a trip to barcelona, where she visited a restaurant set in an apartment in the city the restaurant was inspired by a trip to barcelona, where mrs minchew visited a restaurant in an apartment  mrs minchew said her neighbours have so far been 'very enthusiastic' about the restaurant in her garden  she currently takes two bookings a month in her restaurant, set in a finnish kota hut, and said neighbours have so far been 'very enthusiastic' about the project she added: 'i think what makes gloucester studio popular is that my customers get to enjoy an evening out that has all the benefits of a night in with friends but with someone else cooking, serving and washing up while the menu constantly changes, a sample three course menu, set at £35 per person, looks like:  a mug of mead to start butternut squash and chinese mushroom soup with aubergine crisps beef bourguignon served with fire baked potatoes and petits pois a la francaise brandied fruits of the forest with brown sugar ice cream coffee 'i've had lovely compliments about the food but what people seem to really love is how personal everything is 'if any of the local residents have any objection to it they certainly haven't made comment to me the neighbours i have directly spoken to were interested and enthusiastic' mrs minchew made it to the penultimate round of masterchef in 2008 but said she never had a desire to work 'in someone else's restaurant' martin shields, gloucester city council's corporate director of services and neighbourhoods, said residents have until march 26 to give their comments on the hut he said: 'we've written to residents in the area and invited them to send us their comments 'if anyone else would like to give us their comments please visit gloucestergovuk and choose planning then search for 15/00288/ful' mrs minchew currently takes two bookings a month in her restaurant which is set in a finnish kota hut 
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kathryn minchew was a semi finalist on the bbc amateur cooking contest  she opened a restaurant in a finnish summer house in her back garden  it has just two tables and opens for exclusive bookings and special events  mrs minchew said neighbours have been 'very enthusiastic' about project  but she may have to pull it down after failing to get planning permission 