A Ramsbottom takeaway has had its licence revoked after staff were repeatedly seen selling food from the back of the shop when it should have been closed.
Mohammed Ghani, owner of Zaidy’s takeaway on Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, was ordered to close the doors of his premises at 11pm after customers were seen buying hot food after midnight.
The conditions of his licence only allowed the shop to sell hot food from the takeaway until midnight from Monday to Saturday and 11.30pm on Sundays.
In February 2008, Mr Ghani received a formal caution from Bury Council following complaints from residents that the takeaway was regularly open after hours and selling hot food via a rear door, resulting in anti-social behaviour from customers.
On 2 December 2009, Mr Ghani pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching the conditions of his licence by providing late night refreshment contrary to the terms of his premises licence.
However, police saw the premises full of customers being served hot food at 12.20am on December 25 last year.
Mr Ghani has 21 days to appeal against the decision. No special licence is required to sell hot food until 11pm.
PC Kevin Day of the Ramsbottom Police said: "The takeaway was causing problems because people were being attracted back into Ramsbottom in the early hours to buy food instead of going home after a night out in Bury or Manchester."
