Blackpool take-away La Casa wanted to 'turn into a nightclub'

Aly Farag had applied to Blackpool Council for permission to remove a condition on the licence at La Casa on Dickson Road which means booze can only be sold to customers ordering

food and eating it on the premises.

Blackpool licensing sergeant Helen Parkinson warned: "Effectively as the premises currently has a licence to play recorded music until 3am on Friday and Saturday, removal of the food condition would allow it to turn into a nightclub.

"Dickson Road already has two nightclubs directly across the road from La Casa and it has been well documented the area suffers from a large amount of alcohol related crime and disorder.

"Allowing another premises to effectively become a nightclub, police fear would significantly add to this further."

In documents submitted to the hearing, police also raised concerns about children frequenting the area into the early hours at the junction of Queen Street and Dickson Road.

Youngsters aged between 12 and 17 are said to regularly meet and perform card tricks to customers.

Sgt Parkinson said in her statement: "By allowing La Casa to become a vertical drinking establishment, this will expose these youths to an increased alcohol fuelled high risk environment."

Mr Farag set out measures to prevent disruption including CCTV cameras inside and outside the premises, the use of door staff and incident reports to be completed.

He also applied to vary the licence so alcohol could be sold from 11am, which was approved.

A request to add entertainment including live music to the licence was agreed between 11am and 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and between 11am and midnight Friday to Saturday.

This was pegged back from the requested hours of 11am to 1am and 11am to 3am, after environmental health officers warned about the potential noise impact on residents.

Panel chairman Coun Peter Hunter said: "The panel will grant the extension of the hours by which alcohol is sold from 11am, but we are not prepared to remove the condition whereby alcohol can only be served to customers ordering a table meal."

He added the panel also wanted to protect residents living nearby by limiting the hours of live entertainment.

Mr Farag has 21 days to appeal the decision should he wish to challenge it.