Greggs has been refused permission to operate its new Leicester Square store through the night, after Westminster City Council deemed the plans “half-baked”. The bakery chain had applied for a licence to sell food and drink from 23:00 to 05:00, but the application was rejected over concerns it could become a hotspot for trouble.
The store currently opens from 06:00 to 23:00, Monday to Saturday. Had the licence been granted, it would have allowed round-the-clock service, but the Met Police wrote to the council stating that it believed a late-night operation could “undermine the licensing objectives in relation to the prevention of crime and disorder”.
In response, a representative for Greggs argued that late-night and early-morning sales would typically attract emergency service and shift workers rather than anti-social groups. They added that there was no seating nearby “for people to loiter” and that the company had no intention to “draw hordes of new people in”, pointing to other Greggs outlets in the area.
The chain also said it would install constant CCTV and employ a door supervisor at the premises. However, Aicha Less, the council’s cabinet member for licensing and communities, said: “We’re as excited as anybody about the arrival of Greggs in Leicester Square and I’m sure people across the West End will flock to get themselves a sausage roll, steak bake or jam doughnut. However, legitimate concerns have been raised by the police and local people that these plans are half-baked.”
Councillor Less added that there were worries that businesses serving 24/7 in the city centre could create challenges, and that the bakery could become a hotspot for late-night disturbances and anti-social behaviour. The refusal means Greggs will continue to close at 23:00 at its flagship West End site.
