Shalamar takeaway in Wakefield makes new bid to open late after losing licence

A popular takeaway has made a new bid to stay open into the early hours after it was banned from doing so.
Shalamar was recently banned from opening past 11pm after losing its late night food licence.Shalamar was recently banned from opening past 11pm after losing its late night food licence.
Shalamar was recently banned from opening past 11pm after losing its late night food licence.

Shalamar, on Westgate in Wakefield, hit national headlines after an infamous video of customers partying to dance music went viral in 2015.

But after several brushes with the law in recent years the pizza, chicken and curry-selling premises had its licence to sell food after 11pm revoked.

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Key to that decision, made by Wakefield Council in April, was the takeaway's failure to employ door staff despite being told to do so.

Now, new boss Saqib Ali has applied for a temporary licence which would allow Shalamar to stay open until 5am on Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15.

But the police have opposed the bid, as they believe it will "undermine" the fight against crime and disorder in the city centre.

A hearing this Friday will decide on the matter.

In papers released ahead the hearing, PC Mark Thorold said: "The applicant Saqib Ali has been operating the premises for approximately four to six weeks.

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"In that time the premises has been visited by responsible authorities on November 9 and November 23. The premises was also checked externally on November 22 2019.

"On each occasion breaches of the licence were established as no door staff were present.

"At the time of and subsequent to these visits, conversations with the applicant by responsible authorities, police and the council acting as a responsible authority, do not give police any confidence in the fact that the applicant ever had any intention of employing door staff."

The council's decision to revoke Shalamar's late night food licence was upheld in court last week when an appeal against the decision was dismissed.

Local Democracy Reporting Service