A KEBAB shop’s owners have started a petition in a bid to stop a police application to force the late night takeaway to close an hour earlier.

The owners of Best Kebab Two, in Skinnergate, Darlington, have defended accusations the takeaway has become a hub for late night crime and disorder and urged customers to pledge their support.

Durham Police want the takeaway to shut up shop at 3.30pm rather than 4.30pm and stop serving food at 3pm instead of 4pm, after they were called to 45 incidents, including criminal damage, violence and anti-social behaviour, in or around the eatery in 18 months.

But the owners say the incidents are related to drunk revellers and the police should be dealing with the source of the problem by restricting the hours of licensed premises, rather than penalising a food business.

Peter Furness, the solicitor who is acting on behalf of owner Erfan Mohammed, said it was unfair to blame the takeaway for the incidents.

He said many of the incidents were outside the shop and unrelated to the business.

“If you have got licensed premises open until 4am, that is not Best Kebab Two’s fault,” he said. “They are not plying people with alcohol, they are just a legitimate business selling burgers and pizzas.”

He said he thought the police should be looking at limiting the licences of premises serving alcohol until 4am, rather than looking at Best Kebab Two.

“That is where the problem starts. It seems illogical to me you then should penalise a place which is selling burgers,” he added. “The owners of Best Kebab Two are decent, hard-working people. I think they are getting a raw deal.”

The police application to reduce the hours comes after the takeaway withdrew an application to extend their license to stay open until 5.30am, serving food until 5am.

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council confirmed there would be a meeting on July 14 at Darlington Town Hall to discuss the police’s application.