A LICENSING panel has granted permission for a Wild West themed restaurant and take away to open until 1am.

Howdy on Leeds Road, one of the city's busiest streets, currently shuts at 11pm, and the business recently applied for an extended licence that would allow it to sell food until 1am.

There had been a single objection to the application - from a resident of Gledhill Road. They said customers of the business park in front of their homes, playing loud music in their cars until late at night. They also claimed the business had led to "rats the size of cats" on the street.

Allowing Howdy to open until 1am would make the situation worse - they claimed.

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That objection meant that the application needed to go before a meeting of the Bradford District Licensing Panel in City Hall yesterday.

One member of the Committee, Councillor Joanne Dodds (Lab, Great Horton) pointed out that there was a large number of businesses on Leeds Road, including a Turkish restaurant in the same block, and said it would be difficult to know if all the problems raised by the objector were solely the fault of Howdy.

Neither the applicant nor the objector attended the meeting, and the late licence was granted.

Conditions were that staff were trained to advise customers to leave in a quiet and orderly fashion, that notices are displayed encouraging the same, and that the business ensures the area around Howdy remains clear of litter.