Mosaic’s Peri Peri in Reading sought to extend hours to 3am, but local authorities raised concerns about noise and safety
Reading: So, there’s this chicken spot called Mosaic’s Peri Peri on Wokingham Road. They’re currently open until 1am on weekdays and midnight on Sundays. Recently, they wanted to stay open until 3am every night.
But the local council and the police weren’t having it. They were worried about noise and more trouble in the area. It all came to a head at a council meeting where they discussed the application.
During a recent inspection, the staff couldn’t show some important documents, and the CCTV wasn’t accessible. The police officer, PC Smyth, wasn’t impressed. He said the place had serious issues with record-keeping and training.
He mentioned that if they wanted to extend their hours, they needed to be a model for the community, which they clearly weren’t. The council’s licensing officer backed him up, saying the business didn’t look good after the follow-up inspection.
However, the business’s licensing rep, Bill Donne, defended them. He explained that the CCTV was down because the manager had a family emergency and took the password with him. They’ve got it sorted now, though.
PC Smyth also pointed out that extending hours could lead to more crime and trouble. Last November, there were 17 reported crimes in that area. Donne argued those weren’t linked to Mosaic’s and that no neighbors had complained.
Environmental health raised concerns about noise, too. They reminded everyone that previous requests to extend hours had been turned down in 2011 and 2018. Donne insisted the area has changed and is now more lively.
In the end, the committee decided to let them keep their current hours for now. They’ll need to get planning permission before they can stay open until 3am. The decision was made by a few councillors at a meeting on January 23.
