Key Points
- Popular Pizza in East London sought to extend its opening hours to 5am daily
- Tower Hamlets Council rejected the late-night licence application
- The manager said the licence was vital to the restaurant’s financial survival
- Objections were raised by the Met Police, Environmental Health, council officials, and two residents
- Deliveries after 11pm are handled by electric bike couriers and Uber drivers
Popular Pizza, a restaurant on Commercial Road in Tower Hamlets, East London, has been refused permission to open until 5am every day. The council’s licensing sub-committee turned down the application following objections from several local authorities and residents
What reasons did the restaurant give for needing late-night hours?
The restaurant’s manager told Tower Hamlets Council during a meeting on March 20 that the business had struggled financially since its previous owner sold it. “After being the manager of this business for quite a while now, it is evident that keeping the hours open [until] 11pm does not allow the owner to gain any sort of profit – in fact we have been seeing a loss ever since,” he said. He explained that most business after 11pm comes from deliveries, not walk-ins or collections.
Who opposed the application and why?
The application drew objections from the Metropolitan Police, Environmental Health officers, the council’s own licensing team, and two local residents. Specific concerns from these groups were not disclosed in detail but are common in late-night trading cases and typically relate to public nuisance and safety.
How does the restaurant operate after 11pm?
Although the premises closes at 11pm under its current licence, the manager said deliveries continue, handled by electric bicycle riders and Uber drivers who park along the main road. The restaurant prioritises this method due to fewer in-person customers during late hours.
What does this mean for the future of the business?
With the application refused, Popular Pizza must continue trading under its existing licence. The manager had hoped longer hours would turn the business around, but with that option now off the table, the restaurant faces ongoing financial challenges.
