Neighbours had opposed application to stay open until 2am

42-44 Putney High Street where Burger King plans to open

A new Burger King has won a battle with angry neighbours to open until 2am on Putney High Street. Residents said they didn’t understand why such a late licence was needed as they’re already plagued by noisy drunk people hanging outside their homes.

Adil Catering Ltd already dropped the requested opening hours to midnight on Sundays to Thursdays and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays for the new branch of the burger chain.

Adil Group’s lawyer Chris Rees-Gay told Wandsworth Council’s licensing committee on 26 October that existing problems on the high street aren’t linked to Burger King. He said no crime reports or photos had been submitted to support residents’ claims and that a “comprehensive operating schedule” and robust conditions had been agreed to address concerns – including CCTV and managing waste, noise and deliveries.

Mr Rees-Gay said, “Adil Catering Ltd are a premium operator with extensive training, policies and procedures in place. They’ve never had a premises licence reviewed or revoked – we have liaised both with the responsible authorities and with the residents.”

But residents hit out at the plans over fears drunk customers from pubs and bars will stay in the area if Burger King is still open. They said delivery drivers already block entrances to their homes and feared this would get worse.

Alice Pollard said Burger King staying open late could add to existing problems. She said, “It actually encourages [people from other venues] hanging around, it encourages littering, it is an incredibly busy junction where the premises is.”

Elizabeth Cottrell said, “I just don’t see how on earth we are expected to get enough sleep. This is just something that I would like to highlight as I really, really suffer and I’m up early for work so being open extremely late will really, really affect me personally.”

She added, “We would be very happy to work very closely with the premises manager and we would like to foster a very good relationship but I do not see why there is a need for such a late licence and I think that is echoed by all the other residents here.”

Mr Rees-Gay countered, “We have worked with the residents and indeed [the manager] has introduced himself and given his point of contact to them all. He is particularly experienced as well and will oversee the premises.”

Charlotte Lilywhite - Local Democracy Reporter

October 27, 2022