Residents in a gorgeous little town on the edge of the Cotswolds claim their lives are disrupted by “noisy and aggressive” drunken revellers who congregate in crowds after a night out.
Locals living in the posh Warwickshire town of Shipston-on-Stour claim people are “vomiting and urinating” on houses as they stumble back home. The ordeal came to light when the owner of a takeaway applied to extend its opening hours, an application that has now been withdrawn.
But comments attached to it laid bare the situation, and how it may get worse if fast food outlets were allowed to remain open for longer. Some claimed up to 40 people would gather, “at its worst” as they wait for food.
“They are drunk, extremely noisy and at times aggressive towards each other,” it was claimed. The comments were made to an application which at first was misconstrued by residents.
Ahmen Isitmen, proprietor of Shipston Pizza and Fried Chicken, told Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s licensing committee there had been “confusion” over the current licence which needed to be transferred into his name.
Another neighbour cited rubbish as being a problem, along with adding to an issue of delivery vehicles not being able to park, and therefore taking spaces they shouldn’t.
Despite the outcry, there were comments of support to the business, with some recognising the value of the small-scale takeaway venue in a small town with a population of around 5,000.
“I have to respect my neighbours as well,” said Mr Isitmen. It might help them to cut that half an hour, that will make a difference to them so I can stick to 12pm. Half an hour won’t make a difference to me but it will make a difference to them, that might keep my neighbours happy.”
The licence’s conditions are that the area outside the takeaway unit is kept tidy, there is no loud music and signs are displayed reminding customers to be respectful.
The licence would not be valid unless he did so, he told the committee, CoventryLive reported.
Once the old licence, which allows the business to open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, was subsequently transferred across, the new and wholly separate application would only add an extra half an hour to the opening times of the business.
Another objection read: “Fights have broken out and people have been pushed against my house. This antisocial behaviour often goes on until after 1am. There have been incidents of people being sick down my window and urinating against my house.”
It was added that there had been “no incidents” while the business was operating until 11pm in a statement that was filed with the council before the old licence was transferred to Mr Isitmen.
The town, shortened to Shipston by locals, is dubbed a “charming, historic and thriving town” which is starting to become popular with tourists. Part of this is due to its “wonderful mixture of shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels.”
It is so well sought-after, The Times rated it as one of the best places to live in the UK back in 2022, with visitors saying the area is the Cotswolds just without all the visitors.
It’s thought part of the town’s charm is the fact it is abundant with more than 50 independent shops – a plus for tourists who like to shop authentically.
House prices in the area also sit well above the national average, with Rightmove predicting the average cost of a home in this area is at £339,368.
