Tim Hortons’ 24/7 plans for its Watford location faced a licensing hearing yesterday.

Watford Borough Council’s licensing sub committee met on Monday morning (November 27) to discuss the Canadian coffeehouse and restaurant chain’s request to trade as a late-night takeaway.

The original application proposed to also play recorded music all day at the drive-thru, off the A41 The Dome roundabout – near Sainsbury’s and Asda, but this was withdrawn ahead of the meeting.

Restaurant teams had already agreed to conditions proposed by Watford Borough Council officers but two neighbours objected over potential public nuisance, resulting in the hearing being called.

The objectors, a nearby resident and Garston Medical Centre, did not attend the hearing while Tim Hortons sent a representative.

A draft premises licence raised at the meeting included two more conditions, mandating signage telling customers not to litter and that all litter within 20 metres of the drive-thru service window must be collected at least once a day.

The Tim Hortons representative indicated that this would be acceptable but claimed the business already does, and would continue to, clean the nearby area more widely and regularly than this.

The final decision was not announced at the meeting but will be published within five working days.