Wakefield pizza and kebab takeaway Sizzler's told it can't stay open past 11pm following anti-social behaviour concerns

Sizzlers, on Jacob's Well Lane in Wakefield, wanted to extend its closing time from 11pm until 1am.

But three local Labour councillors told a licensing hearing on Monday that allowing this would make petty crime around the pizza and kebab shop worse, and would disturb residential neighbours and elderly people living in a nearby care home.

Wakefield East councillor Olivia Rowley said she received regular updates from a community group based in the area about, "Alcohol being around, rubbish being discarded and life being very unpleasant for them.

"The takeaway's situated alongside a row of terraced houses.

"We just feel that enough is enough. We feel that to extend the hours will ensure people will have to put up with more rubbish and more noise. It's not the right thing to do."

Fellow councillor Stuart Heptinstall said that the "immediate area" around the premises "has a history of street drinking".

He referred to human faeces being discovered in the grounds of Trinity Methodist Church, which is located behind Sizzler's on the corner of Aberford Road.

That issue was first reported in 2019, when the church's manager said there'd been no fewer than seven such incidents during the year.

Sizzlers' manager, Namaan Javed, was unable to attend the hearing, but the licensing panel was told he was content for proceedings to take place in his absence.

A close neighbour of the takeaway, who'd objected to the application on noise grounds, did not attend either.

Council officers said that the premises had previously been home to another takeaway which had had a late-night licence until the end of 2018.

Asked if there had been any complaints relating specifically to Sizzlers itself, Coun Rowley replied: "No because they're just complaints about the area generally.

"All the public buildings in that area, such as Sizzler's, are contributing to the litter, rubbish and noise in the area."

In their conclusions, which were read out at the end of the hearing, the panel of three said they felt a negative impact on residents was "inevitable" if the takeaway was allowed to open later.

They refused the application.

Local Democracy Reporting Service