The owner of a tea hut has submitted his bid to retain the lease to trade from the site.

Bradley Melton’s family has run the business in Fairmead Road, High Beech, for 84 years but his lease will expire in December.

Mr Melton submitted his tender bid yesterday and the deadline for remaining bids is tomorrow.

Founder of ‘Save the tea hut’ Paul Morris said: “I sincerely hope what is in that envelope is enough to put this whole matter behind us and Bradley to be running his business for us this time next year, and the year after and the year after that.

“Thousands of fingers are crossed for him.”

The corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee will oversee the tender process and next meet on September 8.

The committee was presented with a petition in support of Mr Melton’s continued running of the hut with more than 8,000signatures on June 27.