The Biryani Lounge in East Reading has been given permission to make deliveries until 2am each night after a licensing committee meeting on Thursday 10 September.
The restaurant was opened by four friends in the Wokingham Road shopping area in August 2022. It briefly closed earlier this year after a rat infestation, which the owners say was dealt with swiftly.
The friends originally applied to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks until 4am, prompting an objection from nearby residents Mr and Mrs Burns. "There are already too many takeaway food businesses in this area."
During a 28-day consultation the applicants agreed to reduce the hours to 2am following talks with the council licensing team and Thames Valley Police.
At the meeting director Sai Krishna Pacha and operations manager Bhanu Pathakmuri said the later hours would be for deliveries only. "The application is to provide stability for the business."
Pathakmuri added: "We are not going for any alcohol, it's only for food, there will be no dine-in from 11pm to 2am." He also said they do not have in-house drivers and deliveries will be handled by providers such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
The owners told councillors they use Biffa bins with three weekly collections, will have two staff on duty during delivery hours and submitted rules banning drivers from idling, congregating, playing music or sounding horns outside the business.
The committee, chaired by Cllr Louise Keane with Cllrs Paul Woodward and Glenn Dennis, approved the application for deliveries until 2am each night.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
