A BRANCH of Domino’s in Merthyr Tydfil is applying for a licence to sell food until 5am.
The application for a new premises licence for the branch at unit one Glove & Shears House in Court Street proposes late night refreshment from 11pm to 5am and opening hours of midnight to midnight.
The applicant is also proposing a condition stating that the premises shall close to the public after 2am and will then operate solely as a delivery service until 5am.
South Wales Police said in its submission that the applicant had confirmed that external CCTV coverage was good and would cover any areas that would assist with any lines of enquiry and help with police investigations as well as any anti-social behaviour that could potentially occur during the daytime and night time economy.
They said they would not have any objection to the late night refreshment licence being authorised but recommended that the CCTV condition be worded to incorporate where the coverage was directed to.
They said they had no issues or concerns with the CCTV measures stated within the application.
But due to the premises being on the cusp of a large residential area and the fact that it would be the direction of travel predominantly used by people leaving the town centre in the night time economy hours who would use the store, the police felt that a condition appropriate to the location would assist with potential police enquiries that might result from crime and disorder.
The police also said that teenagers would attend the store so the coverage would help with capturing any safeguarding concerns inside and outside the premises.
They said the condition was not just to assist with criminal investigations but was also for the safety of Domino’s staff and delivery personnel.
The condition reads: “There must be a suitable colour digital CCTV system installed at the premises providing DVD/USB (or other easily downloadable format) recording equipment of clear images with a monitor out of view and reach of customers.
“The CCTV system shall have unobstructed coverage of all areas to which the public have access, including customer entry/exit points and forecourt to front of premises.
“The CCTV system shall be maintained and operating at all times that the premises are open to the public.
“The system must be capable of providing 31 days recording.”
“The images recorded are to be retained for 31 days and made available to the police or other enforcement agencies upon request.”
And it adds: “Staff are to proactively encourage customers to leave the vicinity of the premises not to cause any nuisance to neighbours.
“Signage must be displayed in a prominent position at the premises encouraging this policy.”
South Wales Police said it believed that the recommended conditions were relevant to this application, having considered the individual style, character and location of the premises and taking into account the details supplied by the applicant and they considered the conditions as being just, proportionate and necessary.
Local councillor John Thomas said he had no objection to the revised time of closing at 2am but his concern was the delivery time up until 5am as he didn’t see the need for this.
He mentioned the effects this could have on residents with regard to noise of vehicles pulling up outside their properties and knocking on doors.
Cllr Thomas also said that more often than not delivery drivers knocked the doors of the wrong houses as their Sat Nav had taken them to the wrong address.
Fellow town ward councillor David Jones said he was not in favour of this application as residents were already experiencing considerable issues with regard to this business.
He said issues included slamming of car doors, loud music being heard when car doors were opened, bad language being shouted in the street, obstruction of the junction with Alma Street causing traffic build up, car lights shining through windows and loud vehicle exhaust systems on delivery vehicles.
He said Domino’s dinot have adequate parking on its frontage but when people did park there the drove onto the frontage and then reversed out onto a very busy road.
He said their drivers parked on Alma Street which exacerbated the effects heard and felt by residents right outside their properties.
The application will go before the council’s licensing committee on Wednesday, May 7.
