The bakery chain is trying to get a 24 hour license for its new flagship store
Greggs and the
Metropolitan Police are embroiled in a high-profile battle over a late license for its new flagship shop in Leicester Square.
The bakery chain opened the West End outlet earlier in July with a glitzy “blue carpet premiere”.
They handed out free sausage rolls and served milkshakes in Champagne flutes to mark the occasion.
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But they now face mounting challenges over their ambitions to make the store a 24-hour outlet.
Police and Westminster councillors have rallied against plans to serve sausage rolls and pastries around the clock, with PC Adam Deweltz writing to the town hall licensing committee saying the Met believes a late night licence will add to “crime and disorder” in the area.
“The Metropolitan Police, as a responsible authority, is making a representation against this application,” he said.
“It is our belief that if granted, the application could undermine the licensing objectives in relation to the prevention of crime and disorder. The hours [Greggs] seek are also beyond that of Westminster’s core hours policy.”
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Resident groups have also complained about the plans.
“I strongly object to the proposed all-night opening times,” one resident said in a statement to Westminster council.
“I believe that this will encourage intoxicated patrons of this retailer lingering in the vicinity late at night and potentially causing a public nuisance. The plan does not allow any seating areas for customers to consume their purchases. It is essentially a sausage roll factory ‘plonked’ in the middle of the West End.”
Greggs do not need special permission to sell food that is just re-heated in its store, but the local authority have to grant them authority to sell other cooked products, such as bacon and sausage breakfast rolls, as well as tea and coffee drinks after 11pm.
Greggs said customers could become “confused” if its full menu was not available to them after 11pm and would be more likely to cause trouble.
In its submission to Westminster’s Licensing Committee, which is meeting on Friday, the company said: “One of the concerns Greggs has is that if they are unable to offer their full range and a customer wants, for example, a coffee with their sandwich or doughnut, or some potato wedges, they may become more confused and argumentative or disruptive in store if they are able to access the full range of goods before 11pm but are unable to do so after 11pm.
“Customers do not understand licensing laws.”
Greggs said it does not have any trouble at its other two late night stores, which are both in Newcastle.
The company added it would employ security guards wearing body cameras at the Leicester Square location to ensure customer safety.
In a statement they said: “Whilst [Greggs] has recognised some of the challenges faced by fast food / takeaway premises in the Leicester Square area... we do not think that this sufficient to mitigate the cumulative impact of the premises opening 24 hours a day especially during the hours late at night and early morning.”
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