A TOWN centre takeaway may win its bid to serve food until 5am due to a procedural technicality.

Baraada Limited submitted a bid to Bournemouth's licensing board to convert the restaurant at 144 Old Christchurch Road, by the shared space and Horseshoe Common, into a takeaway named Istanbul, and to extend its late opening by three hours.

The application went before the board on Thursday, where licensing consultant Steve Wright, representing Baraada, said it should be granted as the police complaint - raising concern about crime and disorder in the area - was not submitted in the correct timeframe.

Mr Wright said he had first submitted the application in February, but had been told he must make a resubmission the following month due to an admin error. This was after Dorset Police had filed its complaint.

"Representations were submitted by police on February 24, but I did not receive any confirmation after that date," he said.

"I submit that the authority has no other choice but to grant the licence as applied for."

PC Steve Lemon, part of the force's licensing team, said he had been advised by council officers that he would not need to resubmit the police's objection - that another takeaway opening in the early hours exacerbate crime and antisocial behaviour in the town centre.

"I was told 'it stands' and I wouldn't need to resubmit," he told the board.

Chairman Andrew Morgan said the board could not risk taking the decision which might be subject to a successful appeal, and adjourned the application for further discussion to take place.

"We can't make a decision on this, it may be that we won't have to hear it. It may be that it will be granted under delegated powers. I don't want to be making decisions until we are in full possession of the facts," he said.

The application was adjourned until the next licensing meeting on Thursday, although if Mr Wright's claim is accepted the application can be granted by officers.

Police routinely oppose new late licenses and alcohol licences in the town centre cumulative impact area. Force figures reveal that there were 149 alcohol-related incidents reported in Old Christchurch Road in the six month period after September 21 last year, of which all but 34 occurred after midnight.