BAILIFFS have been instructed to take possessions from a Basingstoke business which has sat empty for almost two years.

Kebab House, in Wote Street, has had a sign up in the window since the start of 2021 saying ‘Coming Soon’ after it was granted planning permission to open as a hot food takeaway in December 2020.

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However, the business never opened.

Now, a ‘Bailiff Possession Notice’ has been posted on the front of the ground-floor shop informing that the landlord has “exercised their right to instruct certificated bailiffs as their agents to peaceably re-enter and take possession of this premises”.

The unit was previously occupied by a barber shop which closed in 2020.

Kebab House was granted permission to open in December 2020, despite objections from the owner of the next-door nightclub Plush.

Ernie Phelps opposed to the plans because of concerns around crime and disorder and noise to neighbours in residential properties.

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He believed that the takeaway would “increase crime and disorder” and result in people “arguing or fighting in or outside the takeaway and people shouting or screaming outside the takeaway while under the influence of alcohol and this would upset our residential neighbours”.

Despite the objection, the borough council granted permission for the takeaway to open from 12pm to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The council asked the owners of the kebab shop to complete a noise assessment within one month of opening, to be carried out by a qualified acoustic consultant.

It is not known why the takeaway failed to open.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, which granted the application, said it has no information about Kebab House.