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'All-night hangout' fears over early hours KFC bid

Chris BindingLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLDRS The Chester Road KFC branch and drive-thru. The single-storey building has red and white KFC branding. The front of the building is lined with glass windows and there are posters dotted around. In the front right of the frame, a tall sign reads the home of chicken drive thru, we deliver and free wifi. The KFC logo sits at the top of corporate totem tower. There is a branch of Wickes behind the chicken outlet, in a scene reminiscent of out of town retail the UK-over. The sky is blue with fluffy clouds though.LDRS
The Chester Road outlet will stay open until 05:00 every day if plans are approved

Allowing a chicken takeaway to open deep into the early hours risks turning the outskirts of a city councillor into an "all-night hangout" spot, a councillor has claimed.

Fast-food chain KFC wants its sit-in and drive-thru at Pennywell Industrial Estate, Sunderland, to stay open until 05:00 every day to cater to shift workers and late-night customers.

The chain argued the Chester Road outlet, which currently shuts at 23:00, would be "suited to later opening, being situated away from residential dwellings".

But Lib Dem councillor Stephen O'Brien said residents across the road already endured littering and noise and the plans would bring "more disturbance and antisocial behaviour".

Sunderland City Council is to consult on the request ahead of making a decision, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Failing local residents'

KFC was one of the first businesses to open as part of the redevelopment of the former Dewhirst site, which now includes units occupied by Wickes and Aldi and drive-thru Greggs and Starbucks units.

The application argued a change in opening times would allow the drive-thru to "operate more flexibly in line with demand, serving shift workers and those who keep unconventional hours for other reasons".

Those behind the scheme claimed there was "sufficient demand to trade over the extended hours proposed" and the change of hours, if approved, would improve the commercial viability of the site.

KFC said extra traffic during night-time hours was "not expected to be out of character, or indeed unduly audible".

It also said a store manager would always be on duty and the number of additional customers after midnight were expected to taper off as the night goes on.

But O'Brien called the proposed hours excessive and said: "Failing to act would mean failing local residents.

"Residents across the road already endure litter, noise and people gathering in the car park.

"Opening until 05:00 risks turning that into an all-night hangout, bringing more disturbance and antisocial behaviour into a residential area."

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