A NEW restaurant has been granted permission to sell alcohol, despite concerns raised by neighbours.

Plans to transform a former hairdresser’s next to The Coral Reef on Musselburgh’s North High Street into a restaurant were given the thumbs-up by councillors earlier this year.

The takeaway, at 173 North High Street, will be retained and refurbished, with the restaurant opening next door.

East Lothian Council’s licensing board granted a premises licence last Thursday morning which will allow the restaurant and takeaway to sell alcohol.

Alistair Macdonald, representing Carlo and Katia Crolla, from East Coast (Musselburgh) Ltd, outlined the plans for the restaurant to the four-councillor committee.

He said: “The intention is for this restaurant to be, first of all, a credit to Musselburgh but also a nice family-orientated restaurant with a fairly obvious emphasis on seafood.

“Probably the only thing that will be served in both [the restaurant and takeaway] there will be your standard fish and chips.

“But, other than that, the proposed menu [for the restaurant] is somewhat different with shellfish, lobster, crab and langoustine.

“That is the type of restaurant they are aiming for.

“They would like it to be a family-friendly restaurant with families and the local population using it.”

Concerns had been expressed by neighbours about potential noise and disturbances coming from the premises.

One letter of objection stated: “We have enough takeaway shops/restaurants/premises selling alcohol in North High Street just now as it is and don’t need any more.”

Similarly, another letter objected to the granting of a licence.

It read: “My house will be affected by the drunken noise. We already have disturbances by the pub.”

However, Mr Macdonald stressed that the last thing the people behind the restaurant would want was bad publicity.

He added: “They don’t want and don’t expect to cause any problems.”

Members of the committee agreed to grant the licence on the condition that consumption of alcohol at the front of the restaurant ceased by 9pm.

The Coral Reef was operated by Mr Crolla’s family as a chip shop since 1974, with Mr Crolla taking over from his dad in 2002.

The two properties would be linked and the existing kitchen would be used for both the restaurant and takeaway.