Owner gets go-ahead for curry house

The old Kingswood pub in Regis Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, will become The Massala restaurant. It will be open from 11am until 11pm daily, with no food or alcohol served past 10.30pm. The troubled pub, which was a magnet for anti-social behaviour, closed in October 2007.

More than 20 residents turned up a council meeting yesterday to voice their worry over the latest plans.

Residents said that because the venue was so close to nearby homes, they were against it opening late.

The owners had originally submitted a bid to the council saying the venue would be called The Massala Club, sparking fears it would be turned into a nightclub-style enterprise.

Pri Rayet, speaking on behalf of applicant Zomir Miah, told the council's licensing sub-committee the fears were unfounded and that it would be a "nice, peaceful" restaurant.

She said: "We want a sit-down restaurant – we don't want entertainment or a disco, just a nice, simple place. We won't allow people to use the bar without having a meal, and we won't allow children in at night.

"We might have a violinist in when someone celebrates their 60th birthday, for example, but nothing more than that," she added.

Deputy council leader Barry Findlay, who represents Tettenhall Regis, spoke out on behalf of residents.

He said: "This is being objected to unanimously from all the residents I've talked to.

"This building is in the middle of a lovely residential area, and they had quite a lot of problems when it was a pub."

Bernard Stanley, aged 80, of Regis Road, said: "When people come out of a place like this they are slamming doors, turning on car stereos, shouting – we just don't want it."

Mr Miah originally had wanted the restaurant open until 11.30pm seven days a week, but agreed on 11pm. There will also be signs put up reminding customers to be quiet when they leave.

An opening date has not yet been announced but it is expected to be within weeks.