Decision Tonight on Controversial Restaurant Licence

A decision will be made tonight on a music and alcohol licence for Sangeetha Restaurant & Banquet Hall in Bracknell town centre. Bracknell Forest Council's licensing panel meets at 6pm on Tuesday, June 9.

A nearby resident, Mr Phillip Pelling of the High Street, has objected, citing noise and worsening anti-social behaviour. He lives opposite the premises in the former NatWest Bank building.

"People like to go behind my building every night and get drunk and do drugs in the alleyway, leaving broken bottles most nights, or take a s**t or p**s.

"So I am afraid that this will also increase with the late-night alcohol and music."

Mr Pelling also said he is "opposed to the music so late in the night" and says that end of the high street is "very dark at night" because most street lights have not been working for about two years.

The operator, SVR Bracknell Ltd, has applied for a new premises licence for the "pure Indian vegetarian restaurant and banquet hall" at 5 High Street, covering live and recorded music and indoor dance, late-night refreshment on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm to midnight, and alcohol sales normally 11am-11pm, extended to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Proposed opening hours are 8am, closing 11.30pm Sunday-Thursday and 12.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. Live music and dance would be limited to the banquet hall.

To address concerns the applicant has offered CCTV, an incident log, Challenge 25, staff training and a rule that alcohol must be served only with a substantial eat-in meal and not taken outside.

Following Environmental Health worries about noise, the applicant has agreed a detailed Noise Management Plan that must be approved before opening and which requires that noise from the premises does not cause a public nuisance.

Councillors will make the decision at tonight's licensing panel meeting.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter