Around-the-clock Greggs opposed by police

Greggs has applied to open its branch on Neville Street in Newcastle 24 hours a day

A Greggs bakery risks becoming a "focal point" for crime and disorder if it is allowed to stay open around the clock every day of the week, police say.

The chain has applied to extend the opening hours of its Newcastle city centre branch on Neville Street, opposite Central Station, to operate 24 hours a day. It also wants to lengthen the hours of its shop on nearby Grainger Street.

Northumbria Police told a Newcastle City Council licensing hearing that doing so would likely lead to more drunken people staying the area and put them at risk of becoming victims of crime, but Greggs said it could help disperse revellers.

The authority is set to make a decision within five working days.

As well as extending the Neville's Street shop's hours to allow round-the-clock trading, councillors were told Greggs wants a late-night refreshment licence for its Grainger Street branch which would allow it to run until 05:00.

Ben Williams, representing the firm at the meeting, said Greggs was an "exceptional" operator and would have two door supervisors on duty at certain hours while some staff would be required to wear body cameras.

'Greater choice'

However, Northumbria Police solicitor Hayley Hebb argued the branches could become a potential "flashpoint" for incidents.

Sgt Graham Yare claimed a combined 30 extra opening hours per week between the two units "will logically generate crime".

He said: "Due to the affordability of the food there, that is more likely to be a focal point where people group together if it is open until 5am."

The council's public health department also argued the application would harm efforts to reduce obesity in the city as it would "extend and increase access to calorie-dense food at a late-night hour, which particularly affects shift workers and vulnerable populations".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Mr Williams countered Greggs was "not part of the problem, they are operating within an area that has its own problems".

He added the Neville Street unit already opens until 04:30 most days and that the Grainger Street site opens until 04:00 from Wednesday to Saturday.

Mr Williams also pointed out McDonald's opens in the city centre until 05:00 and that Greggs would "follow suit and offer a greater level of choice and assist with dispersal [of revellers from the city centre]".

Greggs does operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at Newcastle International Airport, but abandoned hopes of all-day trading in London's Leicester Square in 2023 following police concerns.