McDonald’s Headingley: Food chain asks Leeds council to open until midnight every day on Otley Run route
Dozens of objections have been raised after McDonald’s applied to open until midnight on the route of a notorious pub crawl.
The fast food chain has applied for a premises licence which would allow 6am-midnight opening every day at a new restaurant at Headingley Central.
Fears have been raised that late food sales would exacerbate long-standing problems with rowdy behaviour on the Otley Run.
Leeds City Council received 43 objection letters, including from ward councillors and Ash Road Area Residents’ Association (ARARA).
The group said: “The Otley Run pub crawl passes through Headingley and there is a trend to congregate afterwards, going for take-away food after the pub-crawl has been completed.
“McDonald’s selfishly wants to exploit a commercial opportunity by serving after 11pm, with no consideration for the residential community.”
McDonald’s previously secured planning permission for a new shop front for the restaurant, which is not yet open.
It would already be allowed to open the restaurant in the former Arndale Centre until 11pm.
The licence for “late night refreshment” would give consent for an extra hour until midnight.
Another objector said: “Headingley is already a scene of antisocial and drunken behaviour which is causing increasing concern to local residents. We do not need any more licensed premises.”
Some objectors asked that a licence was only granted to allow delivery orders after 11pm.
Licensing documents show a list of conditions to prevent public nuisance was being agreed with the council and West Yorkshire Police.
They including children being supervised after 9pm, checks being made to discourage groups from loitering outside and a telephone number for the manager being made public.
A licensing sub-committee will consider the application at a hearing on Tuesday, July 22, at Leeds Civic Hall.