Tim Hortons coffee chain plan will include a late-night licence
Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons has won permission to open through the night at a planned store in Washington.
Last year, the firm was granted planning approval to open a restaurant at the vacant Frankie and Benny’s unit at the Galleries Retail Park.
A separate application lodged with Sunderland City Council’s licensing department also sought permission for ‘late night refreshment’.
This included trade between 11pm-5am, both indoors and outdoors including delivery.
In addition, the firm applied for 24-hour opening times, seven days a week.
However, the extra hours do not include the proposed drive-thru facility, which is currently permitted to open between 7am-11pm.
During a council consultation on the application, a single neighbour objection was received about the potential impacts on nearby residents.
The objector noted noise and anti-social behaviour issues linked to the previous use of the unit, with fears this could be repeated when Tim Hortons opens, alongside concerns about litter and light pollution.
The objection triggered a formal meeting of the city council’s Licensing Sub-Committee recently, which was held via videolink and broadcast on YouTube.
In the absence of the objector, Tim Hortons representatives
moved to reassure the sub-committee that measures were in place to minimise
disruption.
This included the ability to ‘dim’ outdoor illuminated
signs if there were any issues and an extra condition banning bottles being emptied into external bins between 10pm and 7am.
Another condition also clarified that Tim Hortons would be responsible for the area and litter collection.
Councillors heard there were no objections from Northumbria Police and that alcohol sales and regulated entertainment were not included in the licensing application.
However, concerns were raised during the meeting about the site’s outdoor area becoming a gathering place during anti-social hours.
Tim Hortons representatives said the chain was known as a coffee operator, rather than a fast-food restaurant, and that its ‘target audience’ during the early morning and evening would mainly be shift workers.