Bid by two Southsea restaurants on Marmion Road to extend their opening hours opposed – with residents saying it would affect their sleep

Hakem Arabbetou has submitted applications to Portsmouth City Council to amend the licences for his Italian and Moroccan restaurants. Currently, the Pitigliano Restaurant and Bar at 29 Marmion Road is permitted to sell alcohol until 10.30pm from Monday to Saturday. The new proposal seeks to extend last orders to 11.30pm, with the restaurant closing at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Additionally, late-night refreshments, including hot food and non-alcoholic drinks, would be available from 11pm to midnight on those days. On New Year’s Eve, the restaurant could remain open until 1am. Further along the street, the Moroccan restaurant Zaytoona is also looking to extend its alcohol service to 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, matching the proposed hours of Pitigliano. Zaytoona’s closing times would also be extended similarly, including on New Year’s Eve.

Several residents have lodged objections to these applications, with a council decision expected on June 12. One local resident said they “strongly object” to the Pitigliano proposal as it would be detrimental to them and their neighbours.

“I feel that the noise being emitted by the new proposal would deeply affect my quality of sleep,” they said. “Having music playing, people standing outside having a smoke would definitely not be done in silence.”

On the Zaytoona application, one nearby resident said they have been “subjected to noise from patrons, bar staff out the back taking breaks, bottles emptied into bins and then the pick up of said bins as early as 5.30am”.

A letter written by the applicant attempts to reassure any concerned residents, stating both premises “are designed as small restaurants offering a premium dining experience”.

“Both venues are and will continue to be, premium restaurants and not bars or late-night drinking or entertainment establishments,” the letter added. “As you will be aware Pitigliano has been closed for a while. I am now cleaning and refreshing the restaurant and it will be re-opening shortly.”