A new restaurant, close to the route of Leeds’ famous Otley Run pub crawl, has been allowed to sell alcohol, despite claims it will make drunken disorder worse.
Woodhouse Charcoal BBQ has been granted a licence to serve booze until 1am every night.
The diner and takeaway is located on The Crescent, in Woodhouse, a short stumble away from Headingley Lane, where the Otley Run reaches some of its final pubs.
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The crawl, a traditional rite of passage for Leeds uni students donning fancy dress, has come under fire in recent months for becoming too big and too messy. And the North Hyde Park Neighbourhood Association claimed giving the restaurant an alcohol licence would make things worse.
In a written objection to Leeds City Council ahead of a licensing hearing on Tuesday, they said: “The Otley Run is a significant disorder problem: every weekend hordes of people travel to Far Headingley to start this drinking marathon.
“By the time they reach Hyde Park Corner they are drunk, and usually in need of a toilet, so relieve themselves ad lib in doorways, gateways, churchyards and gardens.
“Local residents (and a number of other businesses on The Crescent) are fed up with this desecration of their homes and properties. Opening another licensed premises will make this problem worse, so should be avoided.”
However, addressing a panel of councillors at the hearing, business owner Leo Wang said he didn’t expect to attract business from pub crawlers.
He said: “99 per cent of my customers are Chinese students.
“They finish off, they take a taxi and they go home straight away. They’re not hanging around on the street. That’s not a problem for my shop.
“I’ve been serving for two weekends already and I didn’t see so many Otley Runners standing around or coming to my shop.”
Mr Wang said drinkers would have to go out of their way to access the diner, adding: “The Hyde Park Book Club and The Library (pubs) are in the same line.
“My shop is on the other side of the road down a small road.”
No-one from the residents’ association attended the hearing to explain its objection further. Councillors unanimously agreed to grant the venue a licence.
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