Greggs fights for its right to sell late night sausage rolls at flagship London Leicester Square store
Greggs is gearing up for a court battle against its ban on selling late night sausage rolls and steak bakes at its flagship site in Leicester Square.
As first reported in the Evening Standard, Greggs was prohibited from serving its baked goods 24hrs a day after the police feared the extended opening times could lead to a swarm of drunken boozers flocking to the site leading to “anti-social behaviour”.
Greggs is now locked into mediation phase with Westminster council and is set to appeal the decision over the course of a three day court hearing in May.
The plans by Greggs to trade past 11pm faced push back from Metropolitan Police, Environmental Health, three local Westminster councillors and one local resident – who argued that the move worsened the UK’s obesity crisis.
“It is our belief that if granted, the application could undermine the Licensing Objectives in relation to The Prevention of Crime and Disorder,” The Met said.
However, Greggs argued that its flagship site would have uniformed security guards strapped with body cams to work through the night and loitering would not take place as the store traditionally does not have any seating areas.
“If Greggs is successful in challenging the ban, it could open another avenue of revenue which could go a long way in helping the baker achieve its ambitious growth plans, which includes opening 150 new stores this year,” Myron Jobson, senior personal finance analyst, interactive investor, told City PM
It comes as Greggs, which recorded sales of £1.5bn in 2022, is also looking to trial a 24hr drive thru this year and also increase its site offering to 3000 stores.
City A.M has contacted both Greggs and Westminster City Council for a comment.