Stirchley restaurant plans: ‘Rowdy and antisocial behaviour’ claim denied

A new restaurant will be a “further string to Stirchley’s bow” and will not lead to rowdy and antisocial behaviour, a meeting heard.

Owners of Yardbirds want to open a fried chicken restaurant at the site of a former bank on Pershore Road – but its licensing application has been objected to by a neighbour.

A Birmingham City Council licensing sub-committee meeting heard the application was “fairly modest” according to a representative for the applicants Yardbirds Chicken Limited.

A neighbour has objected to the plans on grounds including that delivery drivers would use the entrance to their home “as a toilet” – but they did not attend the meeting.

The meeting heard the applicants have been operating for four years “providing fried chicken at festivals locally”.

The meeting heard the restaurant would seat 50 indoors and around 20 in an outdoor space to the rear, while a smoking area would be to the front of the premises.

The premises is intended to sell alcohol and late night refreshment until 12 midnight and remain open from 9am until 12.30am.

Duncan Craig, representing the applicants, said: “In my time in Birmingham, people have been talking about Stirchley as perhaps the new Notting Hill – or such comparisons have been drawn.

“I think it’s fair to say things are starting to happen there and there’s lots of exciting stuff going on. This is a further string to Stirchley’s bow in my view.

“It’s a fairly modest application in terms of the hours being sought.

“They have a good standing in the area and simply want to open up a restaurant in Stirchley to offer the same food as they offer in the festivals that they are involved in.”

Dealing with the objection by a neighbour, he said it was “plainly wrong” any licensed premises would have a problem with rowdy and antisocial behaviour.

He said: “It is on a busy road and while I would never begin to suggest people shouldn’t be entitled to expect a reasonable level of quiet enjoyment of their properties, equally it is right to say people who live in urban areas have to expect a greater level of interference – particularly on a busy road – than those who don’t.”

He added there was “no evidence” to support the view noise would be overwhelming, as stated by the objector.

On the subject of delivery drivers, Mr Craig said: “The applicant has offered a further condition that there will be no deliveries between 7pm and 7am so hopefully that goes to tackle the concern that has been raised there.

“These premises are only going to survive and thrive if they enjoy good relations with the local community.

“I am duty-bound to say that it is a very well-populated area and it is not like we have a tranche of objections here, we have one objection.”

He said it is “absolutely right” to take that objection into account but said there are a number of other residents who have sent supportive emails in.

The sub-committee consisting of chair Cllr Diane Donaldson (Lab, Bromford and Hodge Hill), Cllr Mike Leddy (Lab, Brandwood and Kings Heath) and Cllr Martin Straker Welds (Lab, Moseley) will give its decision within five working days.