Proposal to turn Lutterworth cafe into takeaway, which would open seven nights a week

The application, by Abdullah Palas, centres on the former Mercury News, now called Cafe Rustica, in Linden Drive, in Lutterworth.

The proposal, submitted to Harborough District Council (HDC), is to turn the ground-floor cafe into a takeaway, open from 2pm to 11pm seven days/nights a week.

The application does not mention whether the name of the proposed takeaway would remain as Cafe Rustica. The flat above would remain, according to planning documents.

The documents suggest the current employee count of one full-time and three part-time members of staff would be maintained if the plan went ahead. However, in a section of the documents titled “employment benefits for the premises”, it is suggested the conversion to a takeaway would “result in additional employment”, although no specifics have been given.

No dedicated parking is listed in the plan, but on-street parking is available at the front of the shop. Mr Palas’s application includes the installation of an extraction system at the back of the shop to remove smoke, steam, grease and cooking odours.

The application adds that the proposal aims to “enhance and optimise the building’s potential, whilst respecting the existing building’s structure and context”. It also says that the takeaway would “[cause] no negative interference to the […] neighbourhood”.

The planning application states: “The local take away will bring a new diversity food into the area giving the community for more choice to explore different types of food, giving a new alternate food option locally, hence bringing a positive lift up into the area. The proposal is promoting variety of food, giving an opportunity for the local neighbourhood to have choices.”

A consultation on the plans closes on Tuesday, April 15. A decision is due to be made by HDC by Friday, May 9.