Councillors Press Delivery Services to Address Disturbance Issues

Councillors urge local late-night takeaways to tackle issues of noise disturbance and increased rubbish that are affecting local communities.

Manchester City Council's Licensing Sub-Committee convened on November 4^th and granted a licensing appeal to Kashif Riaz, owner of Tops Pizza Limited, permitting the business to extend its operating hours.

Mr Riaz explained how his application for extended hours will help to sustain his local takeaway business and create jobs for local people.

Councillors and objectors expressed a variety of concerns regarding increased rubbish and noise nuisance for locals.

Cllr Grimshaw said: “Especially going into twilight and late-night economy, you are going to encounter problems”.

Following the meeting, Susan Gowen, a resident of 69 Aked Close who lives near Tops Pizza, expressed her discomfort with the idea of the takeaway remaining open until 3 a.m.

Mrs Gowen said: “12 o’clock is my cut-off, 12 o’clock is reasonable”.

When asked whether Mrs Gowen felt that students were at the forefront of the problem, she argued that “it’s adults, it’s children – it’s everyone.”

Mrs Gowen mentioned how increased levels of pizza boxes have been dumped in her garden and down the alley.

When asked about how to manage public disturbance, Cllr Grimshaw stated: “It is about trying to reach a balance that allows people to make a living and extend their businesses in a responsible manner, one in which helps our neighbourhoods grow, whilst giving residents a peaceful life”.

Councillors Demand Responsibility from Delivery Services

The pizza delivery and takeaway sector in the United Kingdom is a booming market, projected to reach £3.9 billion in 2024, highlighting the councillors' concerns about its impact on local communities.

The councillors were apprehensive about the management of third-party delivery drivers and the noise and disturbance that they could bring to the area residents.

Mr Riaz said: “Especially in this weather, most of our business is delivery service because it gets dark early”.

Councillors asked how Mr Riaz addresses the issues of delivery drivers waiting in the street. He responded by stating that this is not an issue, as his delivery system effectively manages it.

Cllr Grimshaw stressed the importance of oversight, saying: “If you’re encouraging people to work for your business even though you aren’t directly employing them, it is your premise and so you must take some responsibility”.

UberEATS operates in Manchester by partnering with independent couriers who use the platform to accept delivery requests.

Cllr Grimshaw called upon UberEATS and other third-party apps to introduce a policy surrounding public nuisance.

He revealed that he had written to companies alike UberEATS, calling for the introduction of a policy to address public nuisance, but had yet to receive a reply.

“What are UberEATS and other people doing?” he asked.

Compromise Reached on Operating Hours

The council granted Mr Riaz to have extended opening hours until 3am on Friday and Saturday, and 1am from Thursday to Sunday.

Cllr Grimshaw explained that the conditions attached to the appeal, including reduced operating hours to address the congregation of customers and delivery drivers, were deemed fair by the council based on feedback from objectors and aimed at mitigating noise nuisance.

After the decision, Mr Riaz expressed mixed feelings, stating: “We are not happy with the licensing decision because we hoped that we could stay open until 3am every day. However, we got Friday and Saturday which is the main thing”.

The meeting highlighted the council's attempt to navigate the competing interests of business growth and community well-being.

Concerns over rubbish, noise, and third-party delivery services dominated the discussion, with councillors urging corporate accountability and stressing the need for sustainable solutions that respect local residents’ rights to a quiet and clean neighbourhood.