A TAKEAWAY has launched a campaign to “save our shop” as it faces a row with the borough council in reducing its opening hours.

Owner Mustafa Koc is worried staff redundancies and significant income loss may result if his Charcoal Grill Pizza and Kebab shop in Whitchurch is forced to close three hours earlier than its licence currently allows for weekend trade.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council previously approved a premises licence allowing the fast food outlet to stay open until 2am on Friday and Saturday, and until midnight the rest of the week.

However, planning permission granted to the Church Street takeaway only allows the business to stay open until 11pm and moves by the owner to change it to match his licence have been refused with them now operating in breach of the consent.

Whitchurch Town Council raised concerns over noise and disruption to residents, and ward councillor Chloe Ashfield also said pubs are closed “long before this time and extending opening hours will inevitably attract people into the early hours.”

Other residents also raised objections due to nuisance and noise from people in the street.

An appeal by the pizza shop is currently lodged in protest at the refusal decision made in March this year, citing police reports showing no record of problems relating to the outlet.

The appeal states: “The parish, local ward members, and members of the public should understand that any perceived anti-social behaviour in relation to ‘people being worst for drink’ should and can only be associated with the alcohol licensed premises, and nothing to do with the activities of the appeal site.

“It is evident the kebab shop has been trading for a number of years in Church Street without any major concerns in relation to noise and distribution or rubbish.

“Environmental health officers have confirmed that since the extension of the opening hours licence in March 2016 they have not had any major concerns raised regarding the matters in terms of noise and litter. On balance the extension of the existing opening hours is not considered to cause harm substantial to warrant refusal of this application.”

The takeaway has a petition going in the shop with an estimated 800 to 1,000 signatures in support of its longer opening hours.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s head of planning and infrastructure Matthew Evans said: “The Charcoal Grill’s appeal against the development control committee’s decision to refuse an extension of its operating hours is currently being considered by the planning inspectorate.

“The appointed inspector will consider all the relevant planning matters and take into account the points raised by the owner of the property.”