Late opening for KFC set for green light despite police objections
Thursday, 31st March 2011.
Planners are being recommended to allow the KFC restaurant in Haverhill to open until 2am every day of the week despite an objection from the police.
The premises currently opens from 7am to midnight five days a week, and is only allowed to open until 2am on Friday and saturday nights.
The company has now applied for a variation of planning permission to allow the later opening all week, and next week's meeting of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's development control committee is recommened to approve it for a 12-month trial period.
This is in line with a similar 12-month trial period for opening to 2am for cocktail bar Bar Vu in nearby Jubilee Walk.
The police have objected to the change on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance.
Police were approached by the manager who was reporting problems with anti-social behaviour by youths mainly congregating within the restaurant.
They say this typically occurred during early to late evening and has resulted in six police events and one racially aggravated incident since October.
They say the owner has had to keep a banning book to assist with dealing with youths causing anti-social behaviour on the premises. On January 21, seven were removed from the premises due to swearing and anti-social behaviour.
However, Haverhill Town Council has voiced no objection, nor has the environmental health officer, saying there have been no complaints from residents since May 2009.
A report to the committee says there are other premises in the area which have similar opening hours, so it would not prolong the night-time economy in Haverhill town centre beyond the existing times.
But in the light of the police comments a temporary consent of 12 months is suggested so the situation can be monitored.
The premises currently opens from 7am to midnight five days a week, and is only allowed to open until 2am on Friday and saturday nights.
The company has now applied for a variation of planning permission to allow the later opening all week, and next week's meeting of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's development control committee is recommened to approve it for a 12-month trial period.
This is in line with a similar 12-month trial period for opening to 2am for cocktail bar Bar Vu in nearby Jubilee Walk.
The police have objected to the change on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance.
Police were approached by the manager who was reporting problems with anti-social behaviour by youths mainly congregating within the restaurant.
They say this typically occurred during early to late evening and has resulted in six police events and one racially aggravated incident since October.
They say the owner has had to keep a banning book to assist with dealing with youths causing anti-social behaviour on the premises. On January 21, seven were removed from the premises due to swearing and anti-social behaviour.
However, Haverhill Town Council has voiced no objection, nor has the environmental health officer, saying there have been no complaints from residents since May 2009.
A report to the committee says there are other premises in the area which have similar opening hours, so it would not prolong the night-time economy in Haverhill town centre beyond the existing times.
But in the light of the police comments a temporary consent of 12 months is suggested so the situation can be monitored.
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