CONCERNS over children and young people being served alcohol from takeaway premises and delivery vehicles up until 2.30am have been raised by the police.

Whitehaven’s Chattanooga has applied to Copeland Council to sell alcohol alongside takeaway food during its opening hours.

However, Cumbria police are strongly opposing the application saying there are worries alcohol would also be “too easily available’’ to already drunk people, persons on the banned pubwatch list...and young persons and children’’.

Members of Copeland’s licensing panel will deal with Chattanooga’s “variation of a premise’s licence” next Thursday.

In a letter to the council, the police state crime and disorder and public nuisance issues, and the supply of alcohol to be off premises, as their main objections.

They also state the Chattanooga applicant, Nejat Alkan, is “unsuitable’’ as a “designated supervisor’’ having previously been found guilty of licensing offences which he has “failed to disclose... in his application for a personal licence”.

Sgt Mitch Franks, Cumbria Constabulary’s licensing officer with the neighbourhood policing team, said: “I also have significant concerns over the business model that Chattanooga is considering.

“I am aware that there is a desire to not only serve alcohol from the premises, but also through the current delivery service. There can be no assurances provided that all staff providing the alcohol will be sufficiently trained, given the nature of employment and the likely turnover of staff.

“There is also a concern that alcohol will be too easily available to already

drunk people, those with significant alcohol-related health problems, persons on the banned pubwatch list and, most worrying, alcohol being provided to young persons and children.’’

Sgt Franks also raised the question of the delivery vehicles requiring licences “as they will, in effect, be the point of sale for the purchase of alcohol’’.

The police also listed 22 incidents which they were called to on Tangier Street since the start of the year. Chattanooga’s licensing hours are Monday to Wednesdays, up to midnight; Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 2.30am and Sundays, 1pm.

Mr Alkan was contacted by The Whitehaven News but did not wish to comment further.