Burger King wins opening hours appeal

Burger King has successfully appealed a decision of Kerry Co Council to refuse it permission to extend the opening hours of its restaurant in Killarney on special weekends.

An Bord Pleanála has ruled that the fast-food chain can open its branch on College Street in Killarney on 12 specified weekends during the year to 3.30am on Friday to Sunday as well as bank holiday Mondays.

Current planning permission only allows the restaurant to stay open until 1am.

Burger King claims its Killarney outlet was the only one of its 26 restaurants in the Republic that had such restricted hours.

It sought permission for longer opening hours on 12 designated weekends including the All-Ireland football final weekend, the August bank holiday and the Puck Fair weekend.

Kerry Co Council had rejected Burger King’s application on the grounds that it would create extra vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the early hours of holiday weekends which would seriously injure the amenities of residents in the area by added noise, litter and general disturbance.

An Bord Pleanála ruled in favour of the fast-food chain on the basis that the requested extra hours would not seriously injure the residential amenity of properties in the vicinity.