A late night bid to deliver takeaways in West Derby fell foul of Liverpool Council rules
Pizza Rome on Muirhead Avenue
A pizza shop’s plan to sell takeaways until 3am has been thrown out by Liverpool Council after concerns owners would not comply with the terms of their licence. Bosses at Pizza Rome on Muirhead Avenue had made an application to the city council’s licensing and gambling sub-committee to extend its hours of operation into the small hours.
A bid by Salmah Mohamed Awhida had sought to allow deliveries from the West Derby takeaway after the business closes its doors at 11pm, with two drivers shipping out their goods for an additional four hours. However, amid complaints from neighbours and confusion over past conduct, a three-person panel at Liverpool Town Hall said they had “no confidence” Mrs Awhida and her husband – who operate the shop – would play by the rules.
In a lengthy hearing, it was revealed the proprietors had operated without a premises licence in December 2024, allowing trade after midnight when this was not permitted. Paul Douglas, licensing agent on behalf of Mr and Mrs Awhida, said the application had been submitted to “get the job done properly” this time.
Liverpool Town Hall(Image: Peter Byrne – Pool/Getty Images)
Mr Douglas said the married couple had been involved in the business for almost two decades and were asking the council to allow for two delivery drivers to provide pizzas and takeaways until 3am. No customers would be allowed access to the premises past 11pm, he said.
The agent added how an additional member of staff would be working in the shop throughout the day. He said: “All we want to do is deliver pizzas to people’s homes.”
Thinkstock generic of a woman Eating Large Slice Of Pizza
However, when it came to light the shop had broken licence conditions last Christmas, Cllr Malcolm Kelly suggested the business owners “didn’t care” about following the rules. Committee members were also told how a premises licence for the business, which had been owned by Mr Awhida since 2008, was revoked seven years ago, to which the property owner said he had no idea who was named on that document.
Mr Douglas said despite “as bad as it all seems” and the “chequered past which is not satisfactory” the business would comply with regulations in future, having agreed with Merseyside Police to agree to a series of conditions. After lengthy deliberations, including analysing complaints made by residents and ward members, Cllr Christine Banks, committee chair, said the late night bid would be refused.
She said the committee had “no confidence” the business would comply or promote the licensing objectives and cited how the Awhidas had acknowledged they had opened beyond agreed hours previously.