BOSSES behind a new Italian restaurant hoping to open in Leigh have vowed to install CCTV and only sell alcohol through table service following objections. 

Southend Council has received 18 objections over plans to transform a former Tui travel agent in the Broadway, Leigh, into a new Italian restaurant, named Picante. 

Residents had submitted objections over noise, public nuisance and the sale of alcohol, while Leigh Town Council initially objected over noise disturbance. 

Following the objections, the applicant has gone back to the drawing board and made a number of changes. 

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These included that the premises will operate predominately as a restaurant rather than a late-night events venue, all sales of alcohol shall be by table service only, the “Challenge 25” scheme will be operated, and CCTV will be installed. 

Leigh Town Council has since “withdrawn their objection following dialogue with the applicant’s agent”.

Helen Symmons, town clerk at Leigh Town Council, said: “There are only four reasons you can object to a licensing application, and we objected on the prevention of public nuisance in our objection.

“Our main reasons were - whilst the premises are part of the shopping districts, it is surrounded by densely-populated residential areas and a licence until 1am in the morning will cause significant noise disturbance and we were very aware that the original plans included an events space area.

“We were therefore concerned larger groups will be attending the premises rather than individual diners.”

After a review of the new conditions, Leigh Town Council then withdrew its objection.

Ms Symmons added: “For all these reasons, we agreed, and withdrew our objection because the next stage we would have to go to a licensing hearing, and we just felt there wasn’t sufficient evidence for us to stick to our objection that their would-be public nuisance.”

The vacant unit used to be Tui until March 2020 when the pandemic hit the tourism industry.

The licensing sub-committee report stated: “Eighteen representations were received from residents and Leigh Town Council objecting to the application.”

There will be a licensing sub-committee meeting about the new restaurant on June 27.