Police snubbed on takeaway opening

POLICE have failed to prevent a fast food restaurant from extending its hours, despite issuing warnings about boy-racers using the car park.

Burger King already opens its recently-refurbished restaurant and drive-through in Hanley from 8am to midnight each day, and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

But members of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's licensing sub-committee have now allowed it to trade for a further two hours each day – until 2am on weekdays and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Police fear the extended opening hours could lead to crime and disorder at the Octagon Retail Park site and attract boy-racers. They called for the installation of barriers to control entry to the car park.

But councillors refused to make barriers a licence condition.

Burger King spokesman Mario Athow said: "We have been in discussions about putting up barriers, bollards and speed ramps.

"We are in the process of dealing with them and hope to find out the implications of doing such work by the end of February.

"According to the police, there is a potential risk and we will look into the barriers issue more fully."

Residents living close to nearby Festival Park say a recent ban on boy racers has ended years of misery in the area.

Car cruisers are now prevented from congregating at Festival Park from 7pm to 7am every night for two years.

The ban became active on September 14, but police are worried the problem will move to Octagon Retail Park.

Licensing officer PC Ashley Harvey said: "The applicant was made aware of the problems with car cruising. This is the big issue in terms of potential anti-social behaviour in and around the site.

"As I understand it, there are barriers in the car park already, but they are not used.

"The car park is split into three parts and we are concerned there is no segregation to stop boy-racers cruising in the area."

PC Harvey said Burger King could "undoubtedly" attract such customers.

He said: "The High Court injunction affects Festival Park, an area a few minutes away from Burger King.

"As a result of that injunction, the quality of life for people in the area has improved.

"The police have grave concerns with the car park, because of the potential displacement of these car cruisers."

Christine Brain, secretary of Etruria Residents' Association, said it was "a shame" that the licence had been extended.

The 51-year-old, of Ladysmith Road, Etruria, said: "People have been saying how wonderful the area has been since the injunction came in.

"They've said they can relax in their own homes again without the screeching of cars.

"It would be a shame if the longer opening hours caused the problems to resurface.

"But that isn't necessarily going to happen. We'll just have to wait and see."

Retired civil servant Phil Nichols, of Festival Heights, said he thought it was "ridiculous" that the licence had been extended.

He said: "Extending opening times is encouraging the kind of people to come back that we've spent so long getting rid of."

The restaurant's new opening hours were approved, but it will operate as a drive-through only after midnight.