Plymouth Council bans new takeaway as ‘residents already too fat’
Another urban story with rural resonances. Could rural authorities intervene to control the high street in market towns to maximize the number of independent stores in the interests of local diversity?
A council has banned a new takeaway from opening – because its residents are already too fat.
Officials at Plymouth City Council have rejected plans for a fast food shop – because some of its population have an “excess weight” issue.
Businessman Mohammed Rafic had applied to open a takeaway selling fish and chips, kebabs and fried chicken in the St Budeaux area. But councillors said no after being told that residents in the suburb are already bigger than the average person.
Among the people living in the area are controversial Stephen Beer, 45, and 43-year-old Michelle Coombe – a couple who claimed they are too fat to work.
Now the council has taken the decision to block a new takeaway close to the couple’s home to avoid others ending up like them.
It ruled that if the proposed takeaway had been given the green light, it would have meant that 20 per cent of businesses in the area were takeaways.
A council report, known as the Plymouth Plan, is aimed at tackling issues surrounding health in the city. It stressed that hot food takeaways must not account for more than five per cent of units in a shopping centre.
Bill Stevens, chairman of the council’s planning committee, said: “On the main high street in St Budeaux there are quite a lot of takeaways already so it’s not as though there isn’t already a choice and that’s why the Plymouth Plan is taking these steps.