Chief planner opposes late-night kebab plans

Best Kebab, in Banner Cross, currently holds a licence permitting it to open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights and 12.30am the rest of the week. However, owners will be seeking an extension to those hours at a Sheffield Council licensing committee meeting tomorrow.

An objection to the application has come from Phil Abbott, head of the authority's planning department, who says that he has concerns about the amount of noise late-night opening could cause.

Mr Abbott said: "This is due to the close proximity of residential properties, in particular flats above the shop units in this parade and on the opposite side of Ecclesall Road.

"Patrons would potentially cause noise whilst arriving at the site, whilst waiting for orders, whilst consuming food immediately outside the premises and whilst departing to respective residences.

"Some customers would also visit the take-away by car and this would create some substantial noise in relation to vehicle movements, starting of engines and closing doors."

He added: "I would recommend that the licence is restricted."

A decision on whether to allow Best Kebab's licensing application will be made by councillors at tomorrow's meeting, which begins at 10am at Sheffield Town Hall.

A number of other takeaways and restaurants on Ecclesall Road, including Elif, Nonna's and The Walnut Club have recently had applications for longer opening hours refused.

Although a later closing time of 12.30am at The Walnut Club was later allowed on a temporary basis, the restaurant then closed after the business went into liquidation and relaunched under the new name of Walnut Live – making its existing licence to sell alcohol invalid and the bar unable to serve drinks.