‘Late opening Shoreditch pizzeria will just deliver more crime’
Red Planet Pizza 'repeatedly' ignored its midnight curfew. Picture: Google Maps - Credit: Archant
Neighbours living next to a fast food joint in Shoreditch are fighting its bid for a 4am licence because drunk customers keep trying to break into their home.
Red Planet Pizza in Kingsland Road was stripped of its licence last year after bosses constantly ignored their midnight curfew. But it’s now under new management, who are asking for permission to open until 3am on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The news has not gone down well with people living near Red Planet, who are often left wishing they were a world away due to the constant noise pollution and anti-social behaviour.
“Several attempts have been made to break into my property,” one disgruntled neighbour said. “The outer window glass of the front door has been smashed and the camera door bell damaged beyond repair. Fortunately a metal shield behind the front door prevented the perpetrators gaining access.”
They added: “Fights frequently occur outside already and the police have had to be called to intervene on several occasions when I have asked the parties involved to be respectful of noise levels.
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“Armed police have raided in the past. I would respectfully submit given this history this is also concerning from a public safety standpoint.”
The neighbour also said it was “almost impossible” to sleep until the new venting system is shut down at midnight, which is the current closing time.
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Police have also opposed the bid because there are too many licensed venues in the area – and because they haven’t forgotten staff bolting out the door when they and immigration officers raided the place 12 months ago.
Former manager Gul Mohammed told councillors at the licence review meeting last year 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.”
Four men were arrested during the raid, but a month later two of the men were spotted working there while on bail.
Council officers said the previous owners are also in the middle of being prosecuted for illegally dumping waste.
They added that the new application offered none of the exceptional circumstances required for new licences within the Shoreditch Special Policy Area, which was brought in to keep a lid on the number of late-night venues and booze sellers. The meeting is on Thursday.
