Costa Coffee can open 24 hours despite fears

A Costa Coffee drive-thru in Doncaster is to open 24 hours a day following a council decision

A Costa Coffee drive-thru is set to open 24 hours a day following council approval.

The application for extended opening hours at the branch on Argo Drive, near the Wheatley Hall Road retail parks in Doncaster, went before a committee hearing after an objector raised concerns over anti-social behaviour, crime, noise and disturbance.

However, chair Karl Hughes said a panel verdict was reached within 30 minutes, because neither the applicants, nor the objector, attended the meeting.

Councillor Hughes said: "After consideration of the application we have decided, by a majority of the members, to grant the application."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service a City of Doncaster Council licensing panel made the decision based purely on written submissions.

Delivering the panel's verdict, Hughes said: "There's been no attendance from either the applicant, their representatives, or the objector.

"We have taken into account all of the information in the written application, the objection, and an accompanying email from the objector.

"In particular, we have considered that the objector has concerns around anti-social behaviour, crime, noise and safety."

He added: "South Yorkshire Police have not made any representations with regard to the application, there was no evidence the Costa would prompt crime and disorder issues to arise."

Hughes said the committee sympathised with the objector's concerns, but added the council had not been presented with evidence that the premises would "cause a public nuisance, be a risk to public safety, or result in crime and disorder".

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