A LATE-NIGHT takeaway in Bournemouth could have its opening hours cut back after concerns over its activity after midnight.

The council’s licensing board will be meeting tomorrow to review the premises licence of Café Fresco Grill in Old Christchurch Road.

The takeaway has been a “concern for some time” to both the council and police due to suspected smoking in the premises, which is an offence under the Health Act 2006.

There have also been concerns about tables and chairs left out on the street after 11pm and the ‘general control of the entrance and exit of patrons’.

During an unannounced visit on a Saturday night in October, senior licensing officer Sarah Rogers had to request back-up from police after the café owner’s brother stopped her from going through a door that led to a ‘roof terrace’, which she suspected was being used for smoking.

In her review application, Ms Rogers said: “He kept his hand on the door refusing to move and allow me access. I tried to tell him I was an authorised officer and was allowed access to conduct an inspection. He shouted at me and kept repeating ‘Who are you?’, ‘You are not coming through’, ‘Get a written letter’ and ‘There’s nothing to see’.”

She said while waiting for police to arrive, she “kept an eye” on the door and, at one point, “could clearly see and hear people being moved down the stairway and asked to move quickly and quietly”.

Once police arrived, she and the officers “immediately went to the ‘roof terrace’, which was empty, but we all commented it was clear the room had been used. It was warm, there was a smell of shisha, there were burning embers in one shisha pipe apparatus and cigarette ends in a plant pot.”

They then made their way to a ‘yard’ on the basement level and found ‘evidence of smoking’.

“There were rat droppings, ripped furniture and this area was also non-compliant under the Health Act 2006 and was also too enclosed for smoking purposes,” Ms Rogers said.

The licensing authority “has a complete lack of confidence in the management of the premises and there is no clear supervisor of the premises,” she added.

The café has a licence to trade as a late-night takeaway from 11pm-5am every day, but the authority is requesting the closing time is pushed back to midnight.

Members of the licensing board will consider the review application and decide whether to amend the premises licence, suspend or revoke it, or leave it in its current state.