Allesley takeaway's neon lights 'more like Las Vegas'

[dutchman]

A late-night takeaway in Coventry has been forced to close just two weeks after opening – after nearby neighbours complained the bright neon lights were keeping them awake all night.

Homeowners living across the road from the new Chicken Express, in Winsford Avenue, Allesley Park, claimed the lights from its signs were so bright they had to go out and buy new blinds for their windows.

Someone else even sought medical help because they’d lost so much sleep, being kept awake by the glare from the neon.

Eraun Haughton was among a string of furious residents who contacted local councillor Bally Singh, complaining the fluorescent lights around the shop front and inside the venue were lighting up the entire street at night and keeping them awake.

Mr Haughton, 19, who lives in the same road as the takeaway, said: “I’m pleased action has been taken.

“The lights were too bright and you could see them from up the hill. It was particularly unfair on the people living opposite.”

Coun Singh took the residents’ concerns to the council after venturing out at night to see the problem for himself.

Coun Singh said: “When I drove there to see it for myself the lights were so bright it looked like a takeaway out of Las Vegas, not Allesley Park.”

Coventry City Council has now served the owners with a temporary closure notice, forcing them to shut up shop for a month, saying they were in breach of numerous planning restrictions.

These included the use of the bright neon lights without the necessary advertising permission, Other breaches related to the installation of fume extraction equipment, which had not been approved by the council before the shop opened on January 5, and the lack of a noise assessment.

The temporary stop notice, served on January 18, was issued after the owner had failed to respond to two warning letters from the council.

The notice bans the premises from trading for 28 days while the planning matters are resolved.

There is no right of appeal – and failure to comply with the notice could mean the owner facing a maximum fine of £20,000 for a first offence.

Coun Singh said: “On the day Chicken Express opened there was an offer on and there were long queues.

“People had to wait a long time and there were complaints about drinks being out of date.

“These were put down to initial teething problems.

“Then complaints came to me about the lighting.

“Some people had to fork out for new blinds and I know one person had to go to the doctor because they couldn’t sleep.

“We want any business to do well, especially in this economic climate, but they have to work with the community.”

The latest row comes after more than 1,000 residents signed petitions opposing the restaurant and takeaway on grounds of increased traffic, pollution and litter when plans were first submitted to the council last year.

See also this article: Anger over plans to turn Coventry butchers into takeaway

[dutchman]

Controversial Allesley Park takeaway reopens after lights anger

A COVENTRY takeaway accused of looking like “something out of Las Vegas” has reopened after a series of neighbours’ complaints led to it being closed down.

Chicken Express, in Winsford Avenue, Allesley Park, was hit with a temporary closure notice by the city council last month – just two weeks after it had opened.

It had breached planning conditions by installing a smoke extraction unit, and had not completed a noise survey.

Neighbours also said the bright lights were making their lives a misery – with some even forking out for new blinds to block out the glare.

One person even went to the doctors for lack of sleep caused by the lights.

Owner Kumar Krish says the lights will stay up – but he will dim them as a ‘gesture of goodwill’.

He told the Telegraph: “I wasn’t aware of the planning conditions because I hadn’t put in the application; I only rent the shop and wasn’t informed.

“It was a shock when I got the letter closing the shop. No-one came to me to complain.”

The 30-year-old says it was “excessive” of the council’s planning department to serve the business with the stop notice banning it from trading for 28 days.

But it re-opened 13 days after the notice was issued after the necessary amendments had been made.

Mr Krish said he had taken swift action to resolve matters by painting the extraction unit, installing a smaller fan to reduce noise levels and arranging for a noise survey to be carried out.

Mr Krish, who also owns two convenience stores in the city, said: “I always work with the local community. People always object to plans, saying they don’t want it in their area, but they don’t mind when they see how it’s run, they’re the ones using it when it opens.

“I have hundreds of customers every day and not one of them has complained.

“The closure has damaged my business but it is getting back to normal.

“If anyone has problems they can come to see me to talk about them in future.”

The news was welcomed by Councillor Bally Singh (Lab, Whoberley) who raised residents’ concerns with the council officials, describing it as like a “takeaway out of Las Vegas, not Allesley Park” when he saw the lights for himself.

He said: “I am glad that the business has now complied with the planning conditions and has also dimmed the lights. I wish the businesses well and hope it continues to work with the community.”

[rebbonk]

“I wasn’t aware of the planning conditions because I hadn’t put in the application; I only rent the shop and wasn’t informed.

No excuse and fills you with confidence doesn't it?