Leeds cafe gets licence to sell alcohol late 50 times a year despite fears area will become a 'Magaluf strip'
An Italian cafe in north-west Leeds has been allowed to sell alcohol until late, despite claims from residents that it could help turn the surrounding area into “Magaluf”.
2 Sardi, on Harrogate Road in Rawdon, will be allowed to serve booze until 10pm, but only on up to 50 occasions across a calendar year.
Last orders are normally called at 5pm at the venue, half-an-hour before its usual closing time.
Leeds City Council confirmed the decision this week, a fortnight after a licensing hearing on the matter took place.
The cafe’s customers will also not be allowed to use its outdoor area after 8pm.
Several local residents had objected to the application, as had Rawdon Parish Council.
Speaking at the hearing on September 20, neighbour John Chadwick said: “Basically the main issue is noise. We have cars pulling up and going in for a coffee and restricting my access. And that’s during the day.
“To have it on until late at night is not fair in my opinion. You can’t police people when they’ve had alcohol. It will impact our lives.”
Expressing concerns about the prospect of other neighbouring businesses opening late at night, Mr Chadwick added: “We don’t want it to turn into a Magaluf strip.
“Where do you draw the line?”
The cafe’s owner, Antonio Pinna, had earlier told the hearing he wanted flexibility to open late occasionally, in response to customer demand.He said: “It (the application) doesn’t mean it has to be (open until 10.30pm) every single night. It could be once a month or even fortnightly.
“It could happen every week or two days a week. Unfortunately it’s unpredictable.
“We had a restaurant which we sold because we have children and we wanted to spend time with them. We don’t want to go back to a restaurant.
“It’s just about having the opportunity to trade a few times a month, or once a month.”