A curry restaurant in Saltcoats has been allowed to set up a seated area outdoors.

The area is to be used for dining and drinking, despite concerns that it could cause some issues in the community.

Curry on the Corner, which opened at the former Corran Inn site in December 2021, asked last Monday’s licensing board for provision of an outdoor area with 19 tables to help improve business.

An objection to the plans came from a neighbour to the Jacks Road restaurant, who thought the property would be adjacent to her house, but it was in fact the furthest away.

The business owner, he added, was more than happy to meet the objector to reassure her about the premises.

Licensing board chair Eleanor Collier asked what the area would be used for and legal representative Stephen McGowan said dining would make up 80 per cent of the business and alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks 20 per cent.

The main reason people would be outside would be for dining.

He added this had become more and more popular since the pandemic.

Councillor Jean McClung asked if the business was confident people would like to dine outside a restaurant near a main road.

Mr McGowan explained that the business owners had dining areas at similar locations across the country close to street traffic and those were successful.

Councillor Christina Larsen said: “My concern is that the area is right next to  a secondary school (St Matthew's Academy) and if there were a lot of were kids passing when people were having meals, there could be a bit of anti-social behaviour."

Mr McGowan said there were additional CCTV cameras proposed covering the new space and if more people who were dining there, then more staff would be working.

The legal representative said his clients would be happy to observe all the conditions of operating an outside area.

Councillor Nairn McDonald put forward a motion to accept the application which was agreed by the board.