Southsea restaurant Delaney's in Castle Road is granted later alcohol licence - as owner hopes for new lease of life

Delaneys owner Belinda Delaney said the pandemic, combined with the closure of Castle Road which 'wiped out' its takeaway service, had 'crippled' the business and that the 9pm closing time was putting off customers.

She said this lack of demand had forced her to pay her chef out of her own pocket and that food was regularly thrown away with only a small number of people eating there.

Concerns had been raised by some of its neighbours that the later hours would exacerbate issues with noise in the area, but the licensing sub-committee said the lack of any objection from police or environmental health officers meant it should be approved.

'The inference of that from a professional position is that proposal is not likely to undermine the licensing objectives,' its chairwoman Claire Udy said.

'This is a relatively small premises and the aim is to increase the number of diners and reduce the number of people merely drinking.'

Twenty people wrote to Portsmouth City Council in support of the application but others said there were regular issues with noise from the restaurant.

Janet May, who lives above the restaurant and spoke at Wednesday's hearing in opposition to the application, said she had had to make frequent complaints about it.

‘The fact that Belinda is fully aware that her business, which is now a licensed premises, is a nuisance to all the residents around her in the late hours, yet still wants to press on no matter who she inconveniences is very disappointing,’

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Delaney said she would make use of the longer hours starting this weekend.

'This will be a better experience for our customers who we now will no longer have to ask to leave at 9pm,' she said. 'This had been a real deterrent to potential diners and hopefully we will now have many, many more coming through the door.'