A RESTAURANT’S application to open later on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve has attracted scores of complaints from local residents.
The Turkuaz, in Harrogate Road, Rawdon, has asked for a variation to its licence to let it keep its outdoor terrace open longer and to serve alcohol and play music until 12.30am.
A spokesperson from the restaurant said the extended opening is aimed for the future rather than this Christmas, when the current Tier 3 restrictions mean all pubs and restaurants and shut, and even if West Yorkshire moved to Tier 2, Government restrictions say businesses can only serve alcohol with substantial meals and orders cannot be taken past 10pm, and must be closed by 11pm.
The application is set to go before Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee at a meeting on Wednesday.
The Turkuaz’s owner, Kenan Karaaslan, has applied for the restaurant to be able to use its outdoor seating area to the front of the premises until 10pm; it is currently able to keep it open until 8pm.
This application was first received in July, when it was refused following a barrage of complaints from local residents regarding noise and nuisance at the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-themed restaurant.
He is also applying to allow the sale of alcohol and the playing of recorded music until 12.30am on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day.
Several complaints about the plans were submitted to Leeds Council in October, raising concerns about the increased level of noise the outdoor seating area staying open into the night would cause, and the issues it would cause on Harrogate Road in the village due to increased traffic and car parking.
A spokesperson from The Turkuaz said: “We have never had any complaints about noise until now.
“Some have said this is a quiet, residential area but on this stretch of the high street there are 19 businesses including a bar and shops, and a hotel doing weddings and events behind us.
“We feel the expansion to the number of guests is appropriate given the high street setting, and we don’t have any concerns about noise levels.
“We want to increase our capacity and that’s why we have made these applications.
On the application for extended Christmas and New Year openings, he added: “This isn’t for this year with the restrictions, it is for the future rather than this Christmas.
“Everyone likes to stay out later on these days, and that’s why we want to stay open for longer in future.”
