A Central London Taco Bell has applied for a 4am licence – but residents are dead against it.
Tace Bell on 187 Baker Street said it will operate as a “dark kitchen” after 11pm with no access to members of the public, according to an application before Westminster City Council.
It also promised to hire a “driver host” to manage delivery drivers during the late-night hours. According to Google, the premises currently closes at 11pm daily.
But objectors warn allowing Taco Bell to sell late-night refreshments beyond its existing hours will lead to crime and disorder. One objector, who hasn’t been named, said delivery drivers congregate on Baker Street, play loud music and engage in “disruptive behaviour long after other fast-food outlets have closed”.
They wrote: “Allowing Taco Bell to operate until 4am would exacerbate this, encouraging larger gatherings and further contributing to the noise and chaos in our area.”
Another said drivers are known to cycle erratically and cat-call women while a third claims they electric bikes at more than 20pmh down residential streets.
A fourth wrote: “The e-bikes take [to] our street at high speed in the wrong direction creating danger to our neighbours who cross the streets only looking at the side where cars are supposed to come from.”
The Metropolitan Police have also called for Westminster City to refuse the application. They said Baker Street already is a crime hotspot.
They wrote: “The police are concerned that by allowing an extension of hours to yet another venue within the City of Westminster, it will only increase the demand on an already overstretched police service and other emergency services.”
The council’s environmental health team said the proposed hours are outside of the council’s core hours. According to the team, Taco Bell has applied for a terminal hour of 4am but has proposed to continue deliveries until 5am, which has created confusion for objectors.
They wrote: “The hours sought by this application are longer than the relevant core hours and there is an inconsistency between the hours sought and information within the home delivery policy. This may have the likely effect of increasing public nuisance and impact on public safety within the area.”
Taco Bell has said it is confident its home delivery policy will allow late-night deliveries to proceed “without detriment to the community”. They said after 11pm, signing will be displayed stating the venue is providing home delivery only while the main fascia signage and lights will be turned off.
They also proposed turning off restaurant music and will warn drivers to park their vehicles “in a legal and safe manner”.
Westminster City Council will review the application during a licensing meeting on Thursday, August 7.
It comes as Westminster City Council recently refused a 24-hour licence for a McDonald’s restaurant on Victoria Street.
Adrian Zorzut is a Senior Local Democracy Reporter covering Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and the City of London. A contributor to Harrow Online, his reporting focuses on local government, housing, planning, transport and public policy, helping residents understand the decisions and issues affecting their communities.
