A CHICKEN shop was granted a late licence, despite police and councillors warning it would increase anti-social behaviour and create a “party-town”.

The co-owners of Texas Chicken in Leytonstone High Road, at the junction with Grove Road, applied to extend its licence from 11pm to 5am on Friday and Saturdays and 2am on Thursdays to Sunday.

The licensing sub-committee did not approve this, but instead granted the shop late opening until 1am on Monday to Saturdays.

The extended licence was approved with a long list of conditions “to help to prevent crime and disorder” such as noise prevention, installing CCTV and picking up litter, particularly in the benched area outside, which was described by police as a magnet for unruly youths.

The applicants, Iylas Bham and Faisal Anwar, said after the meeting at the town hall this evening, that they were satisfied with the outcome.

Mr Anwar said: “We are struggling with business and needed the extra hours to trade. We asked for 5am, or would have even liked 2.30am to catch people coming out of O'Neills. But fingers crossed it works out.”

The applicants collected 600 signatures on a petition in favour of their application, but only 68 names were accepted by the council's licensing officer because, he said, the others were from people outside the area or had incomplete addresses.

Objections were received against the application by police, the council's noise team, nearby residents, including Bushwood Area Residents' Association and several residents represented at the meeting by Labour ward councillors Cllr Marie Pye, Cllr Clyde Loakes and Cllr Jenny Gray.

Sergeant Colin Parker, from Leytonstone's safer neighbourhood team, said: “Historically this area has been a problem near the benches particularly, which attracts street drinkers.

"There has been an increase of youths. They are belligerent at times and don't respond to authority and we won't tolerate it. If it continues, we may have to introduce a dispersal order.”

Cllr Marie Pye said: “This is about ensuring people have somewhere to hang around all night. It will turn Leytonstone into more of a party town until 5am.”

The applicants' solicitor, Stephen Hourigan, highlighted the number of nearby pubs and fast food places with late licences including, Best Kebab, O'Neills and KFC.

He argued that with Texas Chicken open later, staff could monitor the problem of anti-social behaviour on the benches.

He said: “The problem with people on the benches are nothing to do with us. Nothing can be done about that, except if we are open late at night there will be a presence, which there isn't at the moment.

"We will have CCTV inside and outside the store and staff can respond to trouble and call the police.”