A PIZZA shop in Ilkley has had its licence to serve food until 4am approved.

Bradford Council's District Licensing Panel yesterday approved the license for Pizza Palazzo on South Hawksworth Street to serve late night refreshment.

The application had been submitted by F J Yorkshire Ltd, and the panel were told that it was submitted because the company had recently taken over the business from its previous owner Sofia Company - which had run it since 1986.

The previous owners had a licence to serve food until 4am on Friday and Saturday, but the change of ownership meant F J Yorkshire had to apply for a new licence.

There had been three objections to the plans saying the licence would lead to anti social behaviour in the area.

But the panel were told that there had been no reports of such behaviour around the business in all the years it had its late licence.

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Councillor Abid Hussain (Lab, Keighley Central) spoke on behalf of the company and its owner Mr Iqbal at Tuesday's meeting. He said: "It has had a late licence as long as he'd known. He has great respect for the neighbours."

Mr Iqbal, who worked at the business before taking it over, said: "I've never had any problems with customers or problems with anti-social behaviour."

He said 90 per cent of the business was deliveries, with just a small amount of customers coming in to pick up food.

Food is taken away rather than eaten in the business, and customers cannot buy alcohol there - the panel was told.

Members of the panel questioned one objector's claim that there would be an outside seating area as part of the application. But both the applicant and the licensing officers said there was no plan for any outdoor seating area at the pizza place.

The licence was approved on the condition that the external areas be kept clean of litter.