RESIDENTS have won their battle against a pizza chain who wanted to open until 5am at weekends.

Pizza Hut Delivery, in St Martin's Street, Hereford, faced opposition from police and homeowners who feared that the extended hours would make the residential area a gathering place for late night revellers.

Applicants JJR Associates Ltd amended their application on Tuesday to instead close the counter service at 2am on Friday and Saturdays with deliveries continuing until 4am, in agreement with the police.

However, after hearing about noise disturbances currently at the premises, which has a licence until 11pm daily, Herefordshire Council licensing sub-committee decided to grant a licence for deliveries until 2am at weekends and counter service until midnight.

The applicants applied for an extended licence after feeling the city had a demand for late night deliveries and that competition in the area was operating at similar times.

"We feel we have added value to the area and made it more of a place to go and desirable place to be," said the applicant.

PC Duncan Reynolds said that a 5am licence would see people returning from the city's nightclubs causing noise and disturbances when most people in neighbouring properties were in bed.

Councillor Chris Chappell, ward member, said that the area had previous problems with anti-social behaviour, boy racers gathering in the adjacent car park, people urinating in bushes at the nearby memorial garden and prostitutes plying their trade in the area until 1.30am.

Cllr Chappell said that he was concerned the licence would encourage young people to congregate outside and that nearby residents shouldn't have to put up with the noise. He added that local residents thought its closure should be no later than midnight.

PC Reynolds said they were currently looking at implementing a local protection order in the area which would give police officers the power to seize alcohol and dispersal powers which could remove somebody from the area for 24 hours.

Local resident Jane Smith told the sub-committee on Tuesday that the limited parking available near the takeaway was already causing 'major problems' all night and day.

"The customers park all over the place including the double yellow line," said Mrs Smith, who had photographed some of the parking.

"The driving standards aren't good and my daughter was nearly knocked over by one car that had all four of its wheels on the pavement."

She also commented that the noise from the cars and mopeds was not suitable for a residential area.

In response the applicants said that after 11pm they would usually have only two delivery drivers.

Andrew Copley, another local resident, also objected to the licence extension and said currently there was only minor issues at the premises but the extension would cause more problems in the area.

He said that since that since the opening of the takeaway a rat problem had developed in the area which would increase with the extended opening hours.

The applicants denied they had a problem with pest control and said that they had strict procedures in place.

The council's licensing sub-committee granted Pizza Hut Delivery a licence to close at 11pm Sunday to Thursday and deliver up until 12pm, between Friday and Saturday to close at 12pm and deliveries until 2am.

They also imposed conditions that waste receptacles were closed and locked at all times. Also that no less that twice in a calendar month a random check is carried out to check that these conditions are being enforced.

Licensing officer, Fred Spriggs, said that if Pizza Hut Delivery are not compliant with the order residents had the right to call for a review of the licence.