Dalston pizza joint loses licence for staying open ‘as late as they like’

A takeaway joint in Kingsland Road has lost its late-night licence for repeatedly ignoring its midnight curfew and staying open until the early hours.

Red Planet Pizza workers attempted to run away from police and immigration officers when they visited the premises in February.

Manager Gul Mohammed told councillors at a licensing meeting on Thursday the men who fled were not employed and were simply friends of his, but PC Adam Lawton dismissed his claim, saying: “They were working. One had pizza dough all down his front.”

PC Brian Sharkey, who called the review, told the hearing owner Shabib Khan had shown a “total lack of respect for late licences” by repeatedly opening past its midnight curfew.

He said: “The owner blatantly and knowingly operates to the hours he wants to and we believe they will continue to operate the hours they wish regardless of the legal hours allowed.”

And PC Sharkey was not convinced by the Mr Khan’s efforts to remedy the situation by “demoting” Mr Mohammed and hiring a new experienced manager.

He continued: “I like to be optimistic but unfortunately I have had four months of dealing with this and at no point have they come back to us. I’m not optimistic we will achieve what we have been trying to achieve.”

Four men were arrested during the visit to the takeaway in February, but a month later two of the men were spotted working there while on bail.

Meeting chairman Cllr Brian Bell revoked Red Planet’s licence, saying he had “no faith” any arrangements would be adhered to.

Red Planet can remain open, but must now close at 11pm.