Fast food outlets ‘are as bad as strip clubs’

Food outlets have been branded as much of a “public nuisance” as strip clubs, as Birmingham City Council proposed strict measures to curb the number of takeaways.

David Parsons, chairman of the Local Government Association’s environment and housing board, told a parliamentary committee last week that a “takeover” of the UK’s high streets by food-to-go outlets, strip clubs, betting shops and late night bars was leading to health costs, crime, disorder and misery for locals.

Councils should be given new powers to restrict the numbers of such outlets if they were likely to cause public nuisance, he added.

His claims came hot on the heels of the release of a draft policy document by Birmingham City Council, which argued that an “over concentration” of takeaways could affect the “viability and vitality of a [shopping] centre, undermine its predominantly retail function and impact upon the amenity of the surrounding area”.

Councillors have divided Birmingham into 73 shopping zones and proposed that no more than 10% of shops within a zone should offer hot food. “This will finally give us the powers to take a more pragmatic approach when it comes to yet more takeaways in areas already saturated with fast-food outlets,” said planning committee chairman Peter Douglas Osborne. Councillors also cited health issues as a reason to take action.

However, it was not all doom and gloom for Birmingham food outlets. Existing takeaways are safe as the proposed restrictions will not be applied retrospectively. And the proposals also recognise that takeaways support the local economy.

There was also good news for Birmingham’s army of curry connoisseurs. The council will not apply restrictions to Birmingham’s celebrated Balti Triangle.

“It looks as if the fast food society is here to stay and you could argue that if people want takeaways they should have them,” said Andy Munro from Birmingham’s Asian Balti Restaurant Association. “But the last five years have seen a massive amount opening in Birmingham. I think a tipping point has been reached.”

The plans are open for public consultation until 19 December.

Birmingham’s potential clampdown follows a scheme launched in 2010 by Barking and Dagenham Council in East London. It introduced restrictions to prevent takeaway “clustering” and banned them opening near schools.

In February Dominos Pizza appealed against a refusal of planning permission after it attempted to open near a primary school. The appeal was thrown out.