Takeaways face behaviour curbs
Antisocial behaviour in town centres should be reduced in a new move to licence takeaways from this year.
Kebab shops, burger bars and hotdog vans are to be licensed like pubs in an attempt to crack down on alcohol-fuelled violence after pubs have shut.
All late-night takeaways are to be licensed from this year through the new Licensing Act, even if they don't sell alcohol. Currently only takeaways in London are licensed.
This means, for the first time, that local businesses across the country will have a say on how late takeaways can stay open.
Licensing minister Richard Caborn has also warned that takeaways attracting rowdy behaviour could be shut down.
Police are to be given powers to shut down takeaways for up to 24 hours if customers are found to be disrupting the local neighbourhood.
Caborn said: "Late-night takeaways are often a magnet for violence and antisocial behaviour on Friday and Saturday nights as beered-up revellers spill out of bars and pubs at the same time in search of a burger or a doner.
"From next year we're going to give local residents a say in whether they have a late-night chippie or kebab shop on their street corner by bringing them under control of the new Licensing Act.
"This will help stop a night out turning into someone else's nightmare."
The move has been backed by a number of local councils.
Malcolm Evans, chief regulatory services officer at Cardiff County Council, said: "The council welcomes this opportunity to implement the new licensing regime in consultation with local residents to ensure that those selling hot food late at night will operate safely and that the possibility of disorderly drunken behaviour causing nuisance is greatly reduced."
