Wyken social club cleared to run 'meals on wheels' venture

A Coventry social club has been given permission to run a kind of ‘meal on wheels’ service from its Wyken premises.



Planning permission for the King Edward Social Club had originally been recommended for refusal by Coventry City Council’s planning officers but committee members felt the business should be given a chance.

The plans were for a takeaway and home delivery service to be run from the club in Blackberry Lane, Wyken.

The club, which is opposite a GP surgery and Lyng Hall Secondary School, originally wanted to open from 12pm to 4pm and then again between 6pm and 10.30pm.

The owner of the club, Manjit Nijjar, said he wanted to aim the service at people in the area who are housebound – and that diversifying is ‘vital’ to keeping the club open.

Planning officer Andrew Cornfoot said: “This is in a residential area opposite a school and there will be a negative effect against the school’s healthy eating policy and bring noise and litter to the area.

“It should be noted there has been previous proposals for takeaways close to this site which have been refused and dismissed at appeal because of the impact on residents and schoolchildren in the area.”

NHS Coventry and the head of Lyng Hall School also sent in letters of objection.

However members of the planning committee sympathised with the club owners and agreed to a compromise.

Coun Hazel Sweet (Lab, Wyken), said: “I have been in the area for a number of years.

"I think a service like this for people who are housebound or don’t qualify for meals on wheels would fill a gap.

“I think we can come to an arrangement if they only open in the evenings but I would not be supporting this if they opened in the day time because of the school nearby.”

Paul King, from the club, said: “With beer sales going down and stores selling liquor much cheaper than we can buy it, this is the only way this club is going to survive.

"I have lived in the area for 39 years and this club is a part of the community so it is vital to keep it open.

“The people who use our club are the ones asking for this service and we do have the kitchen facilities already so we would like to be able to use it to its full potential.”

Mr Nijjar, who spent more than £250,000 and 18 months refurbishing the club in 2008, added: “We want the club to survive and we could only do that by diversifying.

“It is a tough time for everybody at the moment and I think it is important for the council to help small businesses where they can. I am grateful we have been given this chance.”

The committee granted a temporary two year licence for the social club to run the business from the premises on the condition it only opened between 6pm and 10.30pm and placed bollards outside the building to prevent parking on the pavement.