Laws set to be used to combat drunks

By Richard Cornwell

HUMAN rights laws may be used by families "fed up to the back teeth" with drunken youths gathering outside a seafront takeaway.

Legal advice is being sought to find new ways to stop the problems with the unruly youngsters, following a court decision to enable the takeaway to carry on opening as late as 5am.

Mehmet Yalcin persuaded the crown court that his business, The Bodrum Grill, Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe, was a takeaway and not a restaurant, despite some customers staying inside the premises to eat.

The court accepted the evidence and allowed Mr Yalcin's appeal against a 2am closing order imposed by Suffolk Coastal council.

But council chiefs, who say they did not have time to prepare a proper case against Mr Yalcin's evidence, believe the spirit of the law is not being upheld.

They are now looking at further action to try to limit the opening hours and curb the public disorder problems in the area.

"The legal situation is complex and confusing and immediate steps have been taken to obtain leading counsel's opinion before deciding the most appropriate way forward in order to secure the council's objective of controlling public order problems at this location," said council chief executive, Tom Griffin.

The council would be seeking to have the Bodrum Grill closed at a "reasonable time" as it believed the legislation intended.

Mr Griffin said if this did not happen, then aggrieved residents would possibly take further action under the Human Rights Act 1998 to secure their right to peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Residents have branded the area as "Lagerloutsville" and say they are "fed up to the back teeth" with groups of young people causing disturbance.

The area is a magnet for youngsters when they leave nightclubs.

More than 100 people in their late teens and early 20s gather outside the Bodrum regularly and police have been extremely concerned about their antics, people spilling into the road, and boy racers showing off.