Leeds petrol station granted alcohol licence after dropping 24-hour sales plan
Residents had lodged objections to the plans
A Leeds petrol station has been granted an alcohol licence after agreeing not to serve customers 24 hours a day.
Objections were raised after Essar Oil applied for round-the-clock sales at Wharrels Service Station in Pudsey.
People living nearby complained over potential noise and anti-social behaviour if the licence allowed drinks to be bought through a hatch between 11pm-6am.
A licensing hearing was told the company decided to reduce the hours to 6.30pm-10pm.
Licensing consultant Gill Sherratt, representing the applicant, said measures would be in place to prevent nuisance behaviour.
She told councillors: “The main point you can take from Essar is they have a flawless record.
“They have significant experience and are a very safe pair of hands.”
Leeds City Council received 14 letters of objection, including from Conservative councillors Dawn and Simon Seary.
Dawn Seary said the Lowtown station was near two primary schools and two old people’s living complexes.
She said: “It’s surrounded by housing on all sides. The 14 objections represent every single person in that area.”
Coun Seary asked that the licence decision was delayed while people were consulted on the revised hours.
She said: “The residents have objected to 24 hours. They weren’t presented with the shorter hours.”
The hearing was told an agreement had been reached with West Yorkshire Police over licence conditions.
The council’s Environmental Health team also recommended the reduced opening hours.
In a letter to the applicant, they said: “The premises is surrounded by residential properties, there is potential nuisance from comings and goings of vehicles through the night, radios, people loitering within the area, inebriated.”
Councillors granted the licence with amended hours and agreed conditions following the hearing at Leeds Civic Hall.
In March, planning permission was granted for a refurbishment of the service station.
Essar Oil said it hoped to proceed with the project, which includes demolition and extensions to the existing building, this year.