Taco Bell 24-hour licence approved despite other rejections

Taco Bell, which is based in the car park of the KFC at the junction of Ingleby Road and Thornton Road, only opened last Thursday.

Bradford Council approved plans for the restaurant to be built earlier this year and in May it was revealed Mexican giant, Taco Bell, would be taking over the building.

The store currently operates between 11am and 11pm and had a "soft opening" last week, with some groundworks still being finished at the site.

But the franchisee - who runs other Taco Bell stores from Nottingham to Newcastle - applied for a 24-hour licence and the Council's Licensing Panel made its decision on Tuesday at a meeting.

The Taco Bell is in the vicinity of a number of other food and drink businesses and the application has been the subject of controversy right from the off.

The Bradford West Area Coordinator said: "We are of the opinion that granting a 24 hours license at this site will increase and add to the anti-social gathering of vehicles and individuals already being experienced in this area, thus having an adverse impacting on nearby residents."

A resident, who lives three-quarters of a mile away, attended the meeting and raised concerns about possible anti-social behaviour, littering and traffic build-up on Thornton Road.

But Christopher Grunert, acting on behalf of the Taco Bell franchisee, explained a number of their stores have 24 hour licences and there have been no issues.

He added: "They are a person of good character and good trading history."

The store has four external bins for customers and an external area where the franchisee hopes to build four or five tables, similar to the neighbouring KFC - which has a licence until 3am.

Mr Grunert also explained the premises are well lit, has a CCTV system in place and the franchisee would not be averse to using security on the door, if issues arose.

He said: "We don't feel the application is a paradigm shift in the area.

"We do appreciate however over the road there are residents."

The Licensing Committee refused an application by chai cafe Cha Cha Chai, based at the food court on Ingleby Road, to open for 24 hours a day, in April.

At that meeting members heard that the Council received regular complaints about anti-social behaviour and noise at the food court.

Members were told that every business on that site had been handed a community protection notice preventing vehicular access to the food court site between 11.30pm and 7am.

The next month an application for another business at the site, Cha Donuts, to open until 2am was also refused due to traffic and anti social behaviour concerns.

Mr Grunert urged the panel to treat this application on its own merit.

He said: "The advantage of a 24 hour licence is for deliveries around the clock.

"Throughout Covid there has been a massive increase of people not going out and wanting delivery round the clock.

"It would be a three shift basis, we operate three, eight hour shifts.

"It increases our staffing and jobs at the venue."

Mr Grunert also called upon the council's public equality duty, explaining a late night opening of the Taco Bell - which is a Halal restaurant - would attract a diverse customer base.

He said: "People want to meet friends or socialise in a new way and want to get food in the late evening that's accessible to them.

"In the night time economy, promoting Bradford as a city open to everybody, not limited to eating in bars, or of that nature, if you don't wish to."

The licensing panel granted the application with conditions.

Chair of the committee, Councillor Martin Slater, said Taco Bell must ensure that the external areas around the perimeter of the premises are kept clear of litter and refuse.

The licence also includes a condition of CCTV, which was automatically added due to the applicant previously submitting that.

The franchisee will not be playing recorded music inside or any entertainment and it will open from 11am until 5am.