Staffordshire chippy’s bid to extend opening hours is denied
A fish and chip shop’s bid to extend opening hours has been denied by the planning inspector.
Fish Face on Tamworth Road, Lichfield wanted to be able to open 4pm to 9pm on a Sunday and bank holidays.
The shop opened more than 10 years ago and said in that time demand has increased and other fish and chip shops in the area are open on Sunday which prompted the move to increase opening hours.
The chippy is currently open Monday to Saturday, but current conditions prevent opening on a Sunday.
The takeaway previously said demand is likely to further increase due to nearby housing development off Cricket Lane.
A similar application to open on Sunday and Bank holidays was refused in 2023.
The application was supported by 200 local residents. Despite this Lichfield Council ‘strongly’ objected, saying residents are already ‘blighted’ and should be able to enjoy odour-free Sundays and public holidays.
The proposal was rejected by Lichfield District Council due to the impact on residential amenity. However, the decision was appealed to the planning inspector.
Now the planning inspector has dismissed the appeal. The ruling said that extending opening hours would have an economic benefit to the area, there is strong support from the community, however, these benefits do not outweigh the harm.
Inspector N Bromley said: “During my site visit, on a weekday, when the shop was open, I experienced cooking smells from the premises. The odour was particularly noticeable from outside the frontages of the houses opposite, even though there are a bank of trees and the busy road in between.
“Extending the opening hours to allow the premises to operate seven days a week would inevitably result in more people visiting the premises and more cars parking, opening and closing doors, as well as more footfall to and from the shop. Similarly, increased odours can also be expected from extended cooking times. As such, open seven days a week, there would be little respite for neighbouring occupiers from these activities and odours.
“I conclude that varying the opening hours of the fish and chip shop would harm the living conditions of the occupiers of surrounding residential properties with regard to noise, disturbance and odour.”
