Guildford fast-food restaurant told to “work with residents” and solve issues of public nuisance

Guildford Council’s licensing committee refused the flame-grilled chicken restaurant’s application to extend its food serving times from 11pm to 12pm every day of the week. Operating from 12 noon-11pm, the applicant wanted to extend the hours to close at midnight on Sunday-Thursday, and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Concluding the meeting, Cllr Keith Witham told the applicants that the refusal offered them a “chance to show you can work with the residents and resolve the issues”, then consider re-applying. The owner had told the committee he had started to address the problems, but residents said they have not seen an improvement.

It comes after neighbours sent 18 letters objecting to the plans, raising concerns that the increased customers and delivery drivers would make current problems worse. Cllr Catherine Houston said she has “alarm bells ringing” as she has never seen that many complaints in her time on the committee.

“Permanent residents have had enough of being under siege by the noise created by late night revellers,” said Lindsey, a neighbour. Located on a main road just outside of the town centre the chain chicken shop backs onto residential properties.

One neighbour told the committee he was “pushed” to object to the application because of the noise workers would make closing the store from midnight to 1-2am. Others agreed at the committee that it would “disturb [their sleep]” for work and impact families in the area.

Another resident said they are “plagued with the smell of cooking” as soon as the shop opens, and can only open their windows between 11pm – midday otherwise their home is “engulfed by the smell”.

Delivery bikes on the pavements were flagged as an issue, as one nearby shop-owner said many of his staff have almost been “run down”. Others complained there had been several “near-collisions” in the car park behind the restaurant because of cars parked on double yellow lines around a sharp corner.

“Walking my dog is a strain because of the litter,” said another local, Karthika. Residents told the committee that customers would eat the takeaway food in the private car park, and then throw rubbish on the floor. One person summarised: “I have observed a noticeable decline in our neighbourhood’s quality of life.”

But the owner of Pepe’s Piri Piri told the committee they had taken measures in the last fortnight to crack down on the issues residents raised. He said he has signposted that delivery drivers must park in the car park before they pick up food orders and has communicated this with his staff.

Speaking at the meeting, the owner said: “Before the application we didn’t realise the problems”. He said that in the last two weeks he has been “strict with behaviour, told employees they cannot talk loudly after 10pm, no more taking the rubbish out past 9pm and taking measures to improve the parking. “We’re here to make customers, not upset residents,” he said.

Applicant Mr Muhammed Malik said a lot of the shop’s clients are key workers who are getting food after a late shift. Mr Malik said individual customers had said they would like the restaurant to be open longer for them.

He argued that Pepe’s Piri Piri was a “healthy option” compared to other late-night fast-food options in the town centre. Menu items include grilled chicken salad or rice, wings, as well as a range of burgers, fries and nachos.

Cllr Houston was sceptical about the anecdotal evidence of the need to extend service hours of the shop and said she has not been approached by complaints for a lack of late night options.

The proposal to extend the take away’s opening hours were rejected by the committee at its meeting on Thursday, July 18.

Report: https://democracy.guildford.gov.uk/documents/s33634/LA2003%20Committee%20report%20-%20Pepes%20Piri%20Piri.pdf

Application: https://democracy.guildford.gov.uk/documents/s33636/Appendix%202%20-%20Application.pdf

Comments: https://democracy.guildford.gov.uk/documents/s33637/Appendix%203%20-%20Representations.pdf