Sunday dinner is cancelled as council says no to dark kitchen’s motorbikes
Residents living near industrial site deserve break from Deliveroo riders, say planners
Friday, 5th September — By Richard Osley
The Deliveroo kitchen site on the Roman Way estate
DELIVEROO didn’t get priority delivery from councillors on Monday night as they blocked plans for a Sunday service at its industrial estate kitchens.
A committee said residents living near the Roman Way site –close to the Cally Road – deserved a guaranteed break from disturbance.
The so-called “dark kitchen” allows restaurants to cook and send out food without needing a high street restaurant nearby. In this case, the Dishoom chain run meals to Islington residents from here.
Neighbours called for curbs on the operation as a three-year temporary permission for Roman Way came to an end and Deliveroo applied for a permanent status.
Objectors are concerned that there is capacity to have five businesses working in the kitchens in the future.
“There are times of day that the noise is not too bad, and there are times where it’s completely unacceptable – I dread to think what it will be like when it’s operating at full capacity,” one neighbour told councillors at a planing meeting.
Another called for all of the company’s new requests to be rejected, adding: “It should not be detrimental to me sitting in my back garden enjoying the peace.”
A Deliveroo driver arrives on the pavement for their latest pick-up
They were backed in the council chamber by Councillor Rowena Champion who told the panel: “It’s an industrial estate and therefore there is an expectation that there is going to be some annoyance and disturbance, but I think when you step back and look what’s happening at the moment, it’s very different to what would have been expected in 1981 when it was set up.
“This is not a situation where people have moved in next to a pub and are now saying they don’t like the noise. They moved into an area expecting Sundays and bank holidays to be quiet – some protected time.”
Superlaundry is also running from Roman Way, while Culinaire Kitchens is looking to have a similar takeaway.
Deliveroo had to go to appeal to secure the temporary consent after objections met the proposal to have drivers coming in and out of the site. Panel members said they felt their hands were tied by the result of that verdict – but did have the opportunity to decide on the conditions.
Cllr Jenny Kay said it should be e-bikes only
In a question and answer session, Councillor Jenny Kay demanded to know why the company would not agree to only electric bike riders servicing the site – limiting noise and pollution. Paul Bedford, head of sustainability at the company, said it would make the operation unviable if such a rule was in place.
He said that around 55 per cent of the bikes were already electric and that there was a steady trend of drivers switching without being ordered to.
“We want the broadest pool possible. If you take away half the deliverers who can go and deliver food, you will push the cost up of delivery,” he told the meeting.
“We are still in a position where requiring 100 per cent [e-bikes] will affect the economics.”
Mr Bedford said that the company always investigated any reports of bad behaviour by drivers, especially if details of incidents and evidence could be provided.
Cllr Toby North said residents would be disturbed by Sunday work
“We are not on the shoulder of every rider, so none of us can say at any one point: Don’t run that red light or take excessive risks around that corner,” he said. “There is a slight challenge in the sense we are dealing with people who will make their own judgments.”
He said the kitchens provided employment opportunities locally and helped independent food businesses grow by offering more chances to sell takeaway.
Cllr Kay said it was so far helping a big name like Dishoom, rather than family-run businesses on Caledonian Road.
“Sometimes applicants come forward and go above and beyond policy but we cannot request that,” she said in relation to the company refusing to alter its policy on what kind of bikes are used.
“I do think Sundays and bank holidays are quite significant in planning terms.”
Councillor Toby North, chair of the sub-committee, said Deliveroo should come back to the council in a year to see how its operational plans are working out and the scale in which residents are affected. The panel then unanimously agreed not to allow the service to run on Sundays and public holidays.
“I am convinced it would be an added disturbance for residents, Cllr North said.
