Jimmy’s Kebab, a food van situated on Bog Island in Bath-a known late-night area-has been denied permission to extend its operating hours beyond 3am. The van sought to stay open until 3:40am to serve patrons leaving nearby pubs and nightclubs, but its application was blocked following objections from the nearby Abbey Hotel, located just 25 metres away.
This marks the third time owner Mehmet Yilmaz has attempted to lengthen trading hours, only to face refusal from Bath and North East Somerset Council. At a hearing before the council’s licensing subcommittee, Mr Yilmaz was represented by licensing consultant Bill Donne, who argued that the extension would not increase public nuisance. He emphasised that Bog Island is already a bustling night-time hub with various late-night venues such as Labyrinth, attracting crowds until the early hours.
“The area is busy regardless of the kebab van’s presence,” Mr Donne explained. He suggested that the van might actually mitigate disturbances, noting that customers are generally quieter while eating and that the van’s CCTV system covers the area, potentially enhancing security. He also highlighted the absence of objections from police and environmental health officers, with previous inspections confirming the van operated appropriately.
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However, the Abbey Hotel’s general manager, Kamal Rajendra, reported that the van serves as a gathering point for nightclub-goers, which has led to noise complaints from hotel guests. “We’ve had to relocate 30 to 40 guests from rooms facing the van due to disruptive noise,” he stated, attributing the issue to the customers frequenting Jimmy’s Kebab. He further noted that recent hotel expansions increased the number of affected guests, warning that extended operating hours would intensify the impact.
In light of these concerns, the licensing subcommittee decided to refuse the application, prioritising the potential effect on local residents and businesses. Despite expressing disappointment, Mr Donne criticised the decision, suggesting that it was influenced more by speculation than concrete evidence.
“The councillors gave too much weight to speculation rather than hard evidence,” said Mr Donne following the ruling.