A fast food shop has been caught trading into the early hours of the morning without a licence.

Sam’s Chicken, in Shenley Road, opened more than four months ago, and has been seen selling food to customers until as late as 2am, although it only has permission to open until 11pm.

But even after warnings and an official meeting at the council’s offices, the shop still continued to serve food after hours.

On two occassions neighbourhood police officers and council officers saw people buying food after 11pm.

The owner had applied to extend the opening time to 3am, but was turned down by Hertsmere Borough Council on Monday.

At a hearing of the council’s licensing panel, shop owner Kirula Valarmathy applied for the hours to be extended to 1am from Monday to Thursday and until 3am on Friday and Saturday with Sunday’s closing time at midnight.

But councillors agreed the suggested times were too late and instead opted to limit the opening hours to 12.30am Monday to Thursday, 1am on Friday and Saturday and midnight on Sunday.

Councillor John Donne, chairman of the panel, said: “Our main concern was the possibility of increases in crime and disorder. It is inevitable with late openings you will get noise with people entering and leaving the shop and gathering outside.

“As there are flats above those shops we have to have some consideration for the people who live there.

“But you have to also allow trade on a main road. With this decision we think we have created a balance between these needs.”

The decision was made after hearing evidence from police and planning officers who had been alerted to late sales of hot food from neighbouring residents.

In his report, Desmond Michael, police licensing officer, listed four incidents of the shop serving food after hours. He said: “It is a concern for Hertfordshire Constabulary that if granted, the trading hours requested, being the only such establishment open on Shenley Road until that time, it will encourage people to remain in the area when they might otherwise have dispersed.

“It is a further concern this will create an additional demand on police resources at times and days when they are already stretched.”