A Turkish restaurant and take away in Finchley Central has been given the green light to open until 2am despite concerns from unhappy neighbours.

Eleven people signed a petition against extending the opening hours of Shish Restaurant in Ballards Lane from 12am to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and until 1am on Sundays to Thursdays.

But Barnet Borough Council licensing sub-committee gave the go-ahead for the changes at a meeting today.

Speaking on behalf of those living near to the restaurant, West Finchley ward councillor Jim Tierney said: “Residents will be very disappointed with a 2am closing time. Customers will not take their food away quietly – it just doesn’t happen, it’s not realistic.

“We have to think of the residents – they have to live there.”

Cllr Tierney also spoke about people’s concerns with a “noisy” extractor fan which gives out unpleasant smells from the restaurant’s cooking area.

Sub-committee member Wendy Prentice said: “We want to encourage businesses but we’ve also got to think of residents.”

She referred to neighbours' complaints the restaurant sometimes stays open until 6am instead of closing at 12am when its current licence permits.

But Nihat Polat, owner of the restaurant for eight years, said: “That’s not true – sometimes we stay late to do the cleaning. I don’t disturb anyone. On one occasion we were having friends for a party but it was nothing to do with serving food.”

After deliberating the licensing sub-committee decided to allow the restaurant to serve alcohol until midnight on Sundays to Thursdays and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Shish Restaurant will also be able to serve late night refreshments such as kebabs until 1am on Sundays to Thursdays and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Councillor Andreas Tambourides, chairing the meeting, said the new timings can only be instated once a quieter extractor flue is installed high enough so the smells do not affect neighbours.

Mr Polat said: “I’m happy with the decision after all I have to run a business.

“The restaurant is in the heart of Finchley Central near to residents – you can’t make both sides happy. But I will put a new flue to try to reduce the noise as much as possible.”