Papa Johns Armley: Leeds pizza shop faces objections to 5am closing time amid concerns about noise

The takeaway, in Belle Vue Road in Armley, wants to extend its opening hours past its current closing time of 11pm, which would require a late-night food licence from Leeds City Council.

But the authority’s own environmental health unit has objected to the application, over fears of noise from the premises keeping residents awake.

A licensing hearing next week will decide whether or not the shop can open later.

The outlet would operate as a delivery service only after midnight under the plans, with walk-in orders stopped from that point onwards.

Objecting to the application, senior environmental health officer Gary Mann said there was “potential for noise disturbance from the use of outside areas” when drivers and customers are coming and going, “including from vehicles, people talking and car radios”.

Mr Mann said there was a risk residents’ sleep could be “adversely affected” and that a 5am cut-off time could “set a precedent” for other venues in the area.

An email exchange between the pizza shop’s solicitor and the environmental health team has been published online by the council ahead of the hearing.

A compromise would have seen the objection pulled in exchange for shorter opening hours, but an effort to reach this point failed.

Defending the proposed hours in one of the emails, solicitor Walaiti Rathore wrote: “I take on board your comments about site and location, but you will be aware that these premises are not unique in these respects; in fact they are fairly common and many have a premises licence for later hours, despite being in residential areas. Therefore it is possible for residents and businesses like this to co-exist with suitable management controls.”

West Yorkshire Police had also objected to the application, but later withdrew it after Papa John’s agreed to implement a number of conditions.

A panel of three councillors will have the final say on whether or not the licence can be granted.