Greggs has lost a battle with police over plans to sell sausage rolls 24 hours a day for fear it would be a “hotspot” for crime and disorder.
Plans to keep the doors of the new Leicester Square store open all night were shelved Friday after Metropolitan Police and Westminster councilors gathered against the popular bakery.
The council said that while the store that opened earlier this month would likely be a boon to the area, it could also become a “hotspot for nighttime disturbances and antisocial behavior” if left open overnight.
Aicha Less, the cabinet minister for the licensing and communities council, told MyLondon: “We’re as excited as anyone about Greggs’ arrival in Leicester Square and I’m sure people across the West End will flock to a sausage roll, steak bake or jam donut.
“However, there have been legitimate concerns expressed by the police and locals that these plans are half-baked.
“There are concerns that businesses operating 24/7 in the city center are creating challenges and that the bakery could become a hotspot for nighttime nuisance and anti-social behaviour.”