Anger over plans for burger restaurant to stay open late as residents say 'we can't sleep'

Coventry residents have spoken of their fears over plans for a burger joint to stay open until midnight. People living near Burger Boi on Daventry Road say it will bring noise issues and some say their sleep is already being affected.

Councillors said locals are "very concerned" and also highlighted parking problems on the road opposite the fast-food restaurant. A spokesperson for Burger Boi says it takes these concerns "very seriously" and will make any necessary changes to reduce late-night noise.

They pledged to work on solutions to parking issues in the area. Locals are objecting to plans by the business to serve food until 12am, an hour later than it can do now, with more than 30 signing a petition against the bid.

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Coventry residents unhappy over burger joint's bid to stay open late

Reviewed: Burger Boi - Coventry's newest burger joint

A hearing to decide on the licence had been due to take place on Monday but will be rescheduled after the applicant could not attend.

Fears of noise problems if later hours agreed

People living near the burger joint and councillors spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about the issues. Resident Elizabeth Treacy said: "Due to motorbikes being revved and people hovering outside Burger Boi in the early hours my sleep has been and is being disturbed.

"I have noticed on these evenings the following day has been more challenging." She said her concentration levels and focus have been affected by tiredness.

She added: "If this licence is granted my concern would definitely be that this would get a whole lot worse than what it is already." Another resident said they had the same concerns and claimed that due to a lack of passing trade it's "going to be delivery drivers" if the outlet opens later.

"I get up at 5.30, I need to be sleeping not listening to that noise," they added. A third person living near the site said: "My wife is recovering from a serious illness and keeping her awake after 11 will have a negative impact on her recovery.

"There will be boisterous people leaving the pub at closing time and visiting Burger Boi. After, people will be eating in cars and dumping their litter in Daintree Croft.

"Deliveries will be going on late and there will be more disturbance after 11," they added. Councillor Roger Bailey (Conservative) said residents are "very concerned" about what might happen if the extension is granted, "making the situation even more of a problem than it already is."

Residents feel it is not only a nuisance due to "noise" but also cars "blocking" a by cul-de-sac, he added. Cllr Bailey said he had seen cars believed to be from customers or delivery drivers parked on double yellow lines on the road.

He had witnessed a disabled person struggle due to cars parking on the pavement and blocking the path. Cllr Barbara Mosterman, also from the opposition Conservative group, added that a "lack of parking" is causing the problems.

On the extended opening hours she said: "This is detrimental for the residents in the area, it just causes disturbance in [the] time you need to rest." Burger Boi opened two years ago and is on a small parade of shops with two other takeaways next door to it.

Fast-food chain's statement in full

A spokesperson for Burger Boi said: "We take these concerns very seriously and are committed to being good neighbours within the community, of which we personally feel such a huge part of. The reasoning behind us requesting to open later is down to requests and feedback from our customers asking for us to extend our offering to later periods, an opportunity we felt we needed to explore due to such requests from our customers, an opportunity that would provide more hours for staff and new jobs in the process.

"Since launching in Coventry in February of 2022 we have always done our part to fully integrate ourselves into the community, providing new job opportunities, always looking to welcome our neighbours feedback as our goal always is to ‘wow’ the residents of Coventry with our premium product. Having serviced over 130,000 Coventry locals since our inception, with many of our loyal returning customers being our neighbours and surrounding residents.

"Our fundamentals will always be to work with the community to best present our brand and to provide a positive impact on the local community as well as the wider residents of Coventry too. We are a very professional outfit with 16 locations across the UK and will be at 25 locations by the end of this year and fifty locations by 2026.

"This level of expansion wouldn't be possible without all the hard work we put in to benefit the residents and communities in which our stores preside and taking all the feedback we can get a long the way to best optimise our service. We understand that noise from later activity at the restaurant can be a concern for potential disruption, and we will work to address any and all concerns in a responsible manner should later opening commence.

"Our current extraction system is fitted with a noise control unit to minimise and silence running sound. We would review our operating hours regularly and make any necessary adjustments to mitigate noise levels during late-night operations.

"We will work on solutions to address parking issues, including communicating with our customers and delivery drivers to ensure they are mindful of where they park. Our goal is to minimise any disturbances to the residents and ensure that everyone can coexist peacefully. We value our relationship with the community and strive to be a positive presence in the neighbourhood."

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