A takeaway in Hitchin has asked for permission to extend its opening hours, after three previous applications were rejected by North Herts Council.

Uptown Pizza & Kebab, located at 151b Bearton Road, has submitted a planning application in the hope that they will be able to stay open later.

They are currently allowed to open from 7.30am until 10.30pm on weekdays and Saturdays, but want permission to open from 11am until midnight on all seven days of the week.

It is not the first time the takeaway has sought to extend its opening hours. Permission for their current hours was granted in 2004, but since then three separate applications for permission to extend their hours have been rejected.

In 2006, an application for permission to open on Sundays from midday until 10.30pm was rejected. A similar application in 2021, to open from midday until midnight on Sundays, was also refused, as was an appeal.

Finally, in 2022, the takeaway applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness for an Existing Use or Development.

If they could prove that they had been operating the takeaway outside of the permitted hours for a period of at least 10 years, then they could have been granted permission to open from 10.30pm until 11pm on weekdays, and from 2pm until 11pm on Sundays.

However, North Herts Council thought there was insufficient evidence to grant the certificate.

Uptown Pizza & Kebab's website lists their opening hours as 11am until 10.50pm or 11pm on weekdays, and from midday until 11.50pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

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Most objections to the previous applications have focused on noise issues, and a Noise Abatement Notice was served on the takeaway in January 2021.

The unit is situated next to Curry House, an Indian takeaway, and Premier Stores, a convenience store, as well as a number of residential properties.

It has been operating as a takeaway since around 1995, when a change of use planning application was granted.

Previous occupants include Istanbul BBQ House and Tasty Kebabs, with UpTown Pizza formally taking over the lease in 2015.

Local residents can comment on the planning application via North Herts Council's website.

Eight comments objecting to the application have already been received, with no comments in favour.