Leeds Whitelock’s boss to open pizza restaurant at former Catch and Bryan’s fish shop in Headingley

Concerns were raised that a new premises licence for Catch Headingley, which is currently closed, would add to alcohol-fuelled disorder on the Otley Run.

An application was made for permission to sell alcohol until 12.30am Monday-Saturday and midnight on Sundays.

Leeds City Council received 10 letters of objection.

But permission was granted after Ed Mason, who also runs historic city centre pub Whitelock’s, agreed to conditions to prevent noise, litter and public disorder.

The Weetwood Lane business will reopen under a new name as a pizza restaurant and cocktail bar.

Mr Mason told a licensing hearing: “We certainly don’t want large rowdy groups of inebriated students coming in.

“There will be very robust training procedures in place to ensure they don’t get served.”

Weetwood councillor Izaak Wilson told the hearing of the nuisance caused by noisy groups of Otley runners.

He said: “It’s definitely a problem, and very much worthy of making sure there are good conditions on this licence to stop a new premises adding to the problem.

“It’s not just students. It’s not just people in fancy dress. The Otley Run has become something of a package holiday.”

The council’s licensing sub-committee was told the building, which was formerly Bryan’s fish and chip shop, had become derelict since Catch closed last year.

Paddy Whur, representing Mr Mason, told the hearing: “He wants families in there eating. He doesn’t want it to be disrupted by Otley runners.

“He’s willing to invest in a building which looks a bit of a mess at the moment.

“It will create jobs for 20 people and create an environment that will be family-friendly.”

The licence application from Mason and Co Ltd was granted at a meeting of the sub-committee on Tuesday (May 14).

Conditions included not serving Otley runners in fancy dress and carrying out regular litter sweeps outside.