Council blocks plans to turn new flagship Greggs store into 24hr venue

2022-07-30

Baking bad: Council turn down plans for a 24-hours Greggs in London’s Leicester Square after the Met Police turn up the heat over fears of an increase in crime and disorder if it stayed open all night

Plans to run a 24-hour £2million Greggs superstore in London have fallen flat
Westminster City Council quashed British bakery’s bid for an all hours licence
Would have meant hot food and drink could be served throughout the night
But council and Met Police warned of anti-social consequences of such a move

Plans to run a multi-million 24-hour Greggs superstore in the heart of London have fallen flat after the Met Police warned of a potential increase in crime and disorder.

Proposals had been submitted to use constant CCTV and even a door supervisor to keep the flagship store, which will cover 1,500 sq ft in Leicester Square, open for all hours of the day.

But the hugely popular bakery chain has been hit with a setback after Westminster City Council quashed the idea of offering a 24hour licence for the business.

Although the store is permitted to sell its iconic pastries all through the night, it cannot offer a full menu, such as its bacon breakfast rolls or hot drinks, because licensing restrictions prevent the sale of such goods after 11pm.

Describing the plans as ‘half baked’, Westminster Council warned that allowing the chain to open all night could see it become a ‘hotspot for social disturbance and anti-social behaviour’.

Karyn Abbott, senior licensing officer with the council, warned that the hot food and drink offerings could serve as a magnet for drunk people – who are in turn more likely to cause disturbances to the local community.

Those concerns were echoed by the Metropolitan Police, who made an official representation against the planning application.

In response Greggs warned its customers could become ‘confused’ by the limited menu options post-11pm, which could spark further trouble.

Plans to run a multi-million 24-hour Greggs superstore in the heart of London’s West end have fallen flat after the Met Police warned of a potential increase in crime and disorder

Although the store is permitted to sell its famous pasties all through the night, it cannot offer a full menu, such as its bacon breakfast rolls or hot drinks, because licensing restrictions prevent the sale of such goods after 11pm without a licence

In addition to using CCTV cameras and employing security to man the doors, Greggs also pledged to clamp down on any excess waste building up outside the bakery.

But writing to the council’s licensing committee, PC Adam Deweltz said the force believed a late night licence would only contribute to ‘crime and disorder’.

‘The Metropolitan Police, as a responsible authority, is making a representation against this application,’ he added.

Aicha Less, Westminster City Councillor, added: ‘We’re as excited as anybody about the arrival of Greggs in Leicester Square and I’m sure people across the West End will flock to get themselves a sausage roll, steak bake or jam doughnut.

‘However, legitimate concerns have been raised by police and local people that these plans are half baked.

‘There are worries that businesses serving 24/7 in the city centre creates challenges and that the bakery could become a hotspot for late night social disturbance and anti-social behaviour.’

The building, which has a floor space of 1,560 sq ft (145 sq m), is located next to M&Ms World and opposite the Lego Store in the heart of London’s West End. It was previously a branch of the Turkish bakery chain Simit Sarayi.

With the historic destination welcoming 2.5 million visitors each week tourists will get to experience the much-loved British bakery after it opened earlier this month.

Planning permission documents were first posted on the Westminster City Council website last September with the initial opening date set for February 2022 – which has since been delayed – and an estimated cost of £2million.

The store opened to great fanfare earlier this month with a blockbuster-style premiere, fit with a blue carpet, that was filled with influencers and special guests.

The flagship store at 1 Leicester Square opened to great fanfare earlier this month with a blockbuster-style premiere, fit with a blue carpet, that was filled with influencers and special guests

A Greggs spokesman previously told MailOnline: ‘The opening of our new flagship shop in Leicester Square will be a huge moment as we continue to expand our presence across prime locations in Central London.

‘We’re excited to premiere our delicious food to new customers, including many tourists from outside of the UK who will get the opportunity to experience Greggs for the first time.’

The Newcastle-based company has been focusing on opening stores in prime areas of London over the past few years, with the new outlet following shops on The Strand, Canary Wharf, Paddington, St Pancras and Kings Cross.

The bakery chain is set to open 150 new stores in Britain over the next year which will take the total to nearly 2,500 – but the flagship at 1 Leicester Square has quickly established itself as its most prestigious.

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