A takeaway’s bid for deliveries until 4am has sparked fears of motorbikes and scooters revving through the streets all night.

Wraps and Wings in Palace Street, Canterbury, received permission at the end of March to turn the former Expression Arts cafe into a restaurant and takeaway.

The eatery, which is yet to open, is in a Grade II-listed building right next to the historic Kings School in the city centre.

Wraps and Wings has now submitted an application to Canterbury City Council for a licence to open until 4am every night of the week.

On weeknights bosses plan to shut their doors at midnight to customers wishing to dine in. On Fridays and Saturdays this would extend to 2am, with takeaways continuing until 4am.

The firm says its deliveries are “tailored” in order “never to cause any noise or disturbance to surrounding neighbours or businesses”.

However, residents and the ward’s elected councillors are not happy about the planned late deliveries potentially disrupting people’s sleep.

Cllr Pip Hazelton (Lab), who represents Westgate ward, has written to the licensing department to raise her concerns.

“I object to both the 2am premises closure and to the 4am delivery time,” she said.

“Both are well outside the normal trading late night times and the prospect of motorbikes and mopeds revving around the city making deliveries until nearly dawn in the summer is not acceptable when residents have the right to expect a decent night's sleep undisturbed.”

Cllr Michael Dixey (Lib Dem), also told the licensing department of his fears of “bicycles, e-scooters, mopeds and motorbikes making deliveries in the early hours of the morning causing noise and disturbance in the city centre and danger to pedestrians”.

Alan Roberton, a nearby resident, wrote that he is “particularly concerned as to noise nuisance and public safety as a result of witnessing the behaviour of delivery drivers”.

He added: “My experience is that they often simply take the route that is most convenient to them and ignore traffic signs and the safety of the public in so doing.

“Either they don’t read the signs or they don’t care. One of these days someone is going to get hurt.”

Mr Roberton also argued that the police don’t have the resources to properly monitor the behaviour of delivery drivers, and that businesses adopt an attitude of “they are not our employees; we can’t control how they do their business”.

“It is simply not reasonable to expect residents to put up with motorbikes/scooters revving through their streets until 4am or anywhere near that,” he added.

But Wraps and Wings – which has everal outlets in London, and a presence in Leeds, Birmingham, and Manchester – says its expansion across the capital is “testament” to the company’s consideration of neighbours.

A licensing application prepared by VM Leasing Ltd, says: “Wraps and Wings is known and indeed thrives on the delivery of its product.

“This delivery process has been tailored in such a manner that the applicants are determined never to cause any noise or disturbance to surrounding neighbours or businesses.”

In 2021, the establishment’s co-directors, Vaqas Farook, Danish Ahmad, Omar Qureshi and Muffadal Abbas defended their plans against claims the site was an inappropriate place for a takeaway.

Mr Farook told KentOnline: “The history means a lot to us and we are the right people to uphold that.

“We’ll have a garden - it’ll be a very chilled place which isn’t going to be loud and noisy. We won’t be doing alcohol.

“Being ex-students in Canterbury, we know what it’s like and what is needed. It’ll be a funky and trendy restaurant where people can come and relax.”

The licensing application case is set to be opened before the council’s licensing committee on May 24, but it is not yet known when it will be decided.