“I’M DISGUSTED” -- that’s the reaction from a neighbour of a Sandhurst petrol station which will now be allowed to sell booze 24 hours a day.
This comes despite warnings from residents about noise and disturbance -- including a reported machete attack and an alleged street fight -- from Yorktown Road’s Shell garage.
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At a hearing where the changes were discussed, Anne Gelman, a hospital worker who lives on Yorktown Road, said: “The noise and disruption are quite appalling.
“It just feels that late-night alcohol will make this even worse.”
“There is no respect for the neighbours.”
In a written objection, neighbours suggested they had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a machete attack, a bike theft, a street fight and more in the past.
But Robert Botkai, representing applicants Motor Fuel Group (MFG), said the store had not received any complaints from residents, the supposed machete attack had not been recorded and these suggestions “made no sense” to garage bosses.
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He added: “If there was a series of incidents then the police would have raised an objection to this application.”
Before a panel of Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) councillors voted on the plans, Ms Gelman, who wakes up at 5.15 every morning to work a ten-hour shift at Royal Surrey County Hospital, said: “We feel we should be entitled to a decent nights sleep and not have this denied to us for the sake of a few more pennies in the tills of a large organisation.”
After a lengthy debate the panel agreed to allow the Shell garage to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, but agreed any booze sales must be made through a window and store doors must be closed from 11pm to 5.30am.
Hot food will also be made available at the station from 11pm.
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The decision was made at a BFC licensing meeting on Tuesday, March 10.
After the verdict, Ms Gelman told the News: “I’m disgusted.
“We have given them proof of public nuisance and they’ve just ignored it
“I’m bitterly disappointed — I think they haven’t listened to the welfare of their residents.”
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