Shrewsbury's Subway allowed to stay open until 3am

Subway in Claremont Street, Shrewsbury, has been given permission to stay open until 3am on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Michael Gries, from the chain, had applied to Shropshire Council to extend its opening hours.

The shop already has permission to open from 7am to 11pm.

Objections to the application were heard from Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents' Association and Councillor Andrew Bannerman who was speaking on behalf of town centre residents and members of his Coton Hill and Quarry ward.

At the hearing which was held yesterday at Shirehall, Shrewsbury, members of the licensing sub-committee agreed that Mr Gries should be able to open in to the early hours of the morning.

But he had to agree to a number of conditions including having CCTV installed and removing any non-fixed furniture and placing bouncers on the door after 11pm.

He also agreed that an hourly litter pick of Claremont Street would be carried out from 11pm onwards.

Nigel Harrison, chairman of Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents' Association, said: "There are already between 10 and 12 premises that have late licenses for the serving of food in Shrewsbury. This could set a precedent. Enough is enough."

Councillor Bannerman added: "The zoning of the late night economy has been a difficult thing to contain.

"We have the West End, the area around C:21in Abbey Foregate and the area close to The Buttermarket in Castle Foregate.

"This will move the late night economy in towards the heart of the town centre.

"There is also the consideration that Subway is housed in the same building as the new student accommodation in Mardol House.

"In the summer people will like to sleep with their windows open. There will be associated noise from these premises and coming in off the street that may impact on their sleep.

"This town centre is not like other town centres. It is a very mixed one where residents and businesses live together.

"There is a balance that we need to take into consideration. We have to try to maintain the late night economy to the outside edges of the town. This is an inappropriate place to join the late night economy."