COUNCILLORS have rejected a pizza shop's request to open late after hearing complaints of noise, litter and drunken behaviour.

Soprano's Pizza Takeaway, in Leyburn, wanted to change a condition of its planning permission to stay open until 1.30am every day.

However, Richmondshire district councillors this week decided the shop must close at 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30pm on Sunday.

The decision was taken after the council received letters from residents objecting to the application.

Residents said drunken patrons of the takeaway urinated and vomited in doorways, left litter and caused disturbances.

They said allowing the shop to open later would only increase the problem.

Until recently, the shop was opening later than its planning permission allowed.

The owner, Ayoub Khan, said it was because he was not aware of the restriction on opening times when he took over the business in July.

One Leyburn resident said: "My wife and I wish to object most strongly to the above proposal for extended opening hours.

"During the period that they were opening until 1.30am, our lives and those of our neighbours became intolerable due to the noise and drunken behaviour from the shop's customers and the filth and mess outside our home."

In response, Mr Khan said he cleaned outside the shop twice every evening.

He said people would leave litter and urinate in the street if he was open or not, and said: "I am bending over backwards to keep the peace with the neighbours.

"It is obvious that they have only one thing in their minds, and that is to close me down."

The pizzeria also submitted a 220-name petition supporting the application.

Councillor Pat Middlemiss, chairman of the environment and planning committee, which voted to reject the application on Tuesday, said: "The committee members were very supportive of the residents who had put the complaints in."

Officers proposed a compromise that would allow the shop to open slightly later, but that was also rejected.