A decision to allow a Braintree kebab shop to extend its late-night opening hours has angered a neighbouring undertaker.

The Best Kebab House, in Manor Road, will now remain open until 11.30pm every night after winning a battle to extend its hours of business beyond 10.30pm.

But Sean Whitelamb, manager of nearby funeral director W C Brown & Sons said: "I am not very happy at all.

"Our premises are very much open to abuse because of the nature of our business. When the pubs close we become a target.

"If it is raining people use our door recess as an eating place and leave the remains of kebabs on the floor, or smear them over the windows.

"If they don't like the vegetables in their kebab they just drop them in the doorway and in the past I have had to disinfect the step."

He added: "We will now have to put up with an extra hour of this but I shall be monitoring things very carefully."

However, the kebab shop's managing assistant, Inan Uckac , was delighted: "This is very good news. There is one shop down the road and another round the corner that opens until 2 or 3am every night."

The decision will allow it to compete with other businesses in the town centre, said Mr Uckac.

Braintree councillors had in the past continually refused to extend opening hours at the shop because they said it would cause considerable disturbance to nearby residents.

The shop has also been prosecuted by the council for opening outside the stated hours of business and an injunction was served on the previous management to prevent continued abuse of opening hours.

Braintree Council's area and environment planning committee granted the shop temporary permission to open until 11.30pm.

Over the next year it will monitor the shop and if there are any concerns or complaints it may reconsider its decision, said chief planning officer Andy Butcher

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