Kebab wars Takeaway 4am licence refused

KEBAB wars broke out at a council meeting as rival traders successfully stopped a new business opening beyond midnight in Bristol city centre.

Taka Taka takeaway and restaurant in Broad Quay wanted to serve hot food until 4am daily but faced opposition from the police and the council’s regulatory services, as well as four nearby outlets, because of its location in a late-night crime and disorder hotspot.

Councillors were told it was within the cumulative impact area (CIA) where nighttime food and drink establishments had reached “saturation point”, meaning new businesses should be granted a licence only in exceptional circumstances if they offered something unique.

Licensing sub-committee members heard Taka Taka, which has two other outlets in Bristol, as well as in Bath, opened illegally briefly without a licence in September.

The firm’s solicitor Philip Day said: “All I can say is yes, we’re sorry. It has stopped and won’t happen again.”

He said that although it was done the wrong way, the opening proved the shop was “extremely popular” and that the neighbouring takeaway owners were objecting purely for commercial reasons.

He said the other branches also operated within CIAs with late licences and had not caused any problems.

Mr Day said the business ranked second in Bath for volume of takeaway orders, behind only McDonald’s.

He said the one in Broad Quay could open until 4am anyway without a licence because of conditions in its planning consent, although the sale of hot food in the early hours would require permission from the Bristol City Council subcommittee.

Avon & Somerset Police licensing officer Sarah Bellamy told the meeting on Thursday, January 30: “Broad Quay comes with its own challenging scenario for the police.

“They are stretched to the max from midnight to 4am.”

She said 356 crimes were reported at Broad Quay in the last 12 months, including antisocial behaviour, theft and burglary.

City council senior licensing officer Sarah Flower said the application

Taka Taka in Broad Quay

triggered the CIA policy and would keep customers in the area at the most difficult times for the authorities.

“I recommend this application is refused,” she said.

Sub-committee chairman Cllr Peter Abraham said: “We are not prepared to grant the application as set out.

“We are prepared to grant a latenight licence until midnight which we believe will not trigger the CIA and is not within that critical time for the police of 12am to 4am.”