Frying ban imposed on new hot food takeaway in East Lothian former sports store

A new hot food takeaway in a former sports store has been given the go ahead – as long as the owners promise not to fry anything on the premises.

Haddington couple Tony and Catherine Taverner have been granted permission to open their new artisan grocery store in the town by East Lothian Council.

However plans to produce hot food in the former Joe Forte sports equipments store, in the town’s High Street, have been only approved with restrictions on the methods used to cook.

A report by planning officers said a local amenity group had raised a concern about another hot food takeaway in the town centre.

But their environmental protection manager had said a ban on frying would address concerns about the impact of the new business.

They said: “They would be satisfied there would be no significant loss of amenity due to cooking odours if the applicant were to accept a condition imposed upon any planning consent limiting the methods of food preparation and cooking so no shallow or deep fat frying shall take place on the premises.”

Agents for the applicants who will be opening The Foraging Goat shop on the High Street, said they were willing to “fully accept” the restrictions.

The shop is described as a grocers and artisan larder offering local produce as well as healthy ready meals for sale and already operates on its website .

The Joe Forte Sports store closed in June last year after more than 35 years on Haddington High Street and the shop has been vacant since then.

It is described as a “major, prominent commercial premises” in the town centre.

The application to change part of it to the hot food takeaway received no objections and was approved with the restrictions.