A Japanese restaurant in Hornchurch has been given permission to open late and sell alcohol.

Aozora Sushi’s was granted a licence for shorter hours than it initially applied for, having ignored an officer’s advice to reduce the hours requested.

The restaurant is located at the junction between Elm Park Avenue, St Nicholas Avenue and The Broadway, and Havering Council’s noise team noted the premises lies directly beneath and opposite residential homes.

Aozora can now open and provide alcohol from 11am to 11pm from Sunday to Thursday and between 11am and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

An additional condition stipulated alcohol can only be served alongside a table meal or with an order of takeaway food.

The applicant had initially requested that drinks could be sold within the restaurant without the order of food.

However, concerns were raised by the council’s licensing officer that this could result in the restaurant becoming “effectively a bar”.