Plans to keep a new Greggs in London's Leicester Square open 24 hours a day have been met with opposition from the Metropolitan Police and council licensing officials, who warn the move could fuel crime and anti-social behaviour in the busy West End area.
The bakery chain, which currently opens from 06:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday, has applied to Westminster City Council for a licence to extend its hours around the clock. In response, it has offered to install constant CCTV coverage and employ a door supervisor at the flagship store, according to a council report.
However, in a letter to the council seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a police representative said the application could undermine the prevention of crime and disorder. "It is our belief that if granted, the application could undermine the licensing objectives in relation to the prevention of crime and disorder," the officer wrote.
Karyn Abbott, a senior licensing officer for Westminster City Council, has recommended that the application be refused, suggesting instead that the store should only remain open until midnight at the latest on Friday and Saturday, in line with council policy. She also noted that hot food and drink were more attractive to drunk people, who were more likely to engage in anti-social behaviour.
A local councillor echoed these concerns, arguing that a doorman would not necessarily prevent trouble. In a letter, they described fast food premises as "honeypots" for people who have been drinking, keeping them in the area against the council's cumulative impact policy, which aims to encourage dispersal.
Greggs has additionally pledged to remove litter and prevent waste from accumulating outside the bakery. Westminster City Council's licensing committee will make a final decision on the application on Friday.
