Horsforth shop wants extra booze hours but council officers say it will keep people awake

Londis in Low Lane currently has permission to remain open and sell alcohol and hot drinks from 6am-11pm every day, but the owners want to extend these permissions to 6am-midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1am on Friday and Saturday.

The applicant said extra measures would be taken to check that youths aren’t causing a nuisance outside the shop.

But Leeds City Council’s environmental protection team claim the plans could create a noise nuisance at night for those living in the area, and have advised the panel to reject the plans.

A letter from the council’s environmental health officers to applicant Kanthasamy Senthuran stated: “We refer to your licensing application for the above premises. We believe that your application does not give enough information about how you intend to meet an important objective of the licence, which is to prevent public nuisance.

“Generally it would be assumed that the footfall demand for coffee etc at those hours is likely to be quite low, however, there has been a rise in requests for home deliveries of food and alcohol in partnership with companies like Uber, which could mean increased use of the store for collection and delivery during the night.

“As such the residents may be subject to increased noise from vehicles visiting the store and noise occurring during the transaction at the hatch (where the customer will be outside), all during very noise sensitive night time hours which will be likely to result in sleep disturbance.

“Although a license has previously been granted for opening hours currently from 6am-11pm, I cannot find any indication that planning permission has been sought and approved in respect of those extended operating hours.

“Neither can I find any planning approval for the extension in operating hours mirroring the licensing application.”

The applicant had originally wanted to sell alcohol and hot drinks for 24 hours a day, but revised down the proposals.

The application stated a CCTV system would be in place, staff would be trained to not allow sales to clearly intoxicated people, and that a challenge 25 policy would be introduced.

A meeting of Leeds City Council’s Licensing Sub-committee will take place on Tuesday, July 27 to discuss the plans.