Freddy's Chicken and Pizza on Church Road in Gatley could be allowed to open until midnight Sunday to Thursday and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, but the plans have drawn objections from Greater Manchester Police and Stockport council's environmental health service.
Licence application details
Shaikh Farhan Ahmed, a director at Freddy Gatley Ltd, applied for a premises licence to extend the takeaway's opening hours. The application said the licence was to support restaurant operations and that no music would be played. Timings and opening hours would remain the same all year round.
The police claimed Mr Ahmed 'has failed to respond to numerous e-mails regarding the application and proposed conditions' and 'failed to address crime and disorder mitigations'. As a result, the force believes the application is against all four licensing objectives: prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm.
Council and police concerns
Officers also raised issues with the takeaway's opening hours, which they said went against the council's licensing policy. The council currently suggests takeaways and fast food premises close at midnight Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Environmental health officers raised concerns due to the premise's location in an area 'with residential properties in close proximity'. There are flats above the properties on either side, as well as at the back. Council officers said the people living there 'are likely to be adversely affected by noise and disturbance arising from the operation of the premises, particularly during late-night hours'.
Noise complaints and missing impact assessment
They added: “Environmental Health has previously received complaints in relation to noise associated with the premises, specifically concerning the operation of the extraction system. This indicates an established risk of noise nuisance impacting nearby residential occupiers.”
In their representation to the committee, officers said there was not enough detail in the operating plan for the licence as well as 'an absence of appropriate control measures'. This, they said, meant they could not be sure the new operations, if approved, 'would not give rise to a public nuisance'. There was also criticism of the fact no noise impact assessment had been submitted despite 'the history of complaints and proximity of residential properties'.
Pointing to the council's licensing policy too, they said: “The hours sought by the applicant exceed these guidelines, and no justification or supporting evidence has been provided to demonstrate why later hours would not adversely impact local residents.”
Application process failures
Despite putting the application forward, Mr Ahmed also failed to advertise the licence application as required by law. This meant the whole process to welcome public feedback had to be restarted.
In its application, Mr Ahmed said: “We will operate in a responsible manner, ensuring all staff are trained to understand and uphold all licensing objectives. We will maintain high standards of service, keep accurate records to ensure our business operates legally and safely at all times.
“All staff will receive training on how to identify and prevent anti social behaviour. We will maintain clear visibility inside and outside the premises to deter illegal activities.
“Any incidents will be recorded and reported to the relevant authorities immediately.”
The applicant also said: “The premises will be equipped with fully functional fire extinguishers and emergency lighting, which will be regularly inspected and maintained. All electrical and gas equipment will be certified and checked by qualified professionals.
“We will ensure clear emergency exits are kept free from obstruction at all times and the premises are under 24-hour surveillance via CCTV, with footage stored securely. Kitchen and food preparation areas will be kept clean and hygienic to prevent health risks.”
The business operator also promises to keep noise levels 'to a minimum, especially during evening and night hours' and ensure all operations 'do not expose children to any harmful situations or materials'. The licensing committee is set to consider the application on August 20.
