The owner of a long-standing pizza and kebab shop in Cronulla mall is facing strong resistance to his bid to open until 2.30am on weekends.
A report by Sutherland Shire Council staff recommended the application by Cronulla Pizza, Pide and Kebabs be refused because it was likely to result in unacceptable social impacts and was not in the public interest.
The application was also strongly opposed by police, who said extended trading hours would increase anti-social behaviour in the immediate vicinity of the premises and throughout the mall.
Police said, over 12 months, they received 25 calls relating directly to the shop, with 18 involving acts of violence, four intoxicated persons and three other.
At present, the pizza and kebab shop has to close at midnight on Friday and Saturday.
A development application (DA) lodged with the council proposed modified trading hours of 7 am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 7am to 2.30am Saturday and Sunday mornings.
The Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) is due to consider the DA on Tuesday, September 19.
The business has operated in Cronulla for more than 25 years, and Osman Kaplan has owned it for the last five years.
Mr Kaplan said he would be happy if the council compromised and allowed him to open until 1am on weekends.
“There are a lot of people looking for something to eat after midnight, but we have to close,” he said.
“They knock at the door, but we have to tell them we have to keep to the regulations.
“People say, ‘I will give you $50 for a kebab’.
“Even at 4 o’clock they come knocking.
“Tourists from the US and Europe just can’t understand it.”
Mr Kaplan said a lot of “shouting and screaming” occurred in the mall up until 4am on weekends.
He believes that providing food after midnight would be likely to lead to less, rather than more, alcohol-related incidents.
“People get more angry when they can’t get something to eat,” he said.
Mr Kaplan said he warned disruptive customers he would call the police if they didn’t stop, and they usually quietened down.
If they persisted in causing problems, he called the police.
The council report said police had advised, over 12 months, they responded to a total of 841 calls to the mall.
Of these, 109 were alcohol related, 78 involved acts of violence and 629 related to other matters.
“The police have further outlined that 25 of these calls relate directly to the subject premises, with 18 relating to acts of violence, four intoxicated persons and three other,” the report said.
