MORE than 20 residents have objected to a proposal to open an off-license in a Mill Hill street plagued by antisocial behaviour.

Sinan Yilmaz, who lives in Salcombe Gardens, wants permission to sell alcohol from a shop he rents on the street from 8am until 11pm.

But the application to Barnet Council has attracted criticism from his neighbours who live above the parade of shops.

A letter signed by 21 residents says: “As tenants we feel that this will once again encourage the local 'hooligans' to gather round, get drunk and make our life hell.”

Mr Yilmaz used to run an off-licence in the parade which has closed down and which he wants to turn into a barber shop.

While the off-licence was open, according to residents, a group of teenagers and young men “hung around” until 3am.

The letter said: “Quite often we have had to call the police because of the disruption and that is mostly because they have had large consumptions of alcohol [sic].

“At one point they have even managed to set fire to the entry hall [to the flats].”

In January last year a man was stabbed in Salcombe Gardens after an argument with two men.

In 2007 rival youth gangs, believed to be motivated by family feuds between families living in the area, made residents' lives a misery and prompted Barnet Police to redirect Safer Neighbourhood Team patrols through Salcombe Gardens.

Sergeant Mark Altman, Barnet police licensing officer, has not objected to Mr Ylimaz's proposal after the applicant agreed to install good quality CCTV cameras in the shop and make the footage available to both the council and police.

Barnet's licensing subcommittee will make a decision on the application next Monday evening.