There are concerns from a rival business that if a Castle Square food premises was to be granted a late night licence the area could create “mayhem again”.

The owner of Dorothy’s at 2 Castle Square has applied for a licence to allow late night refreshments 11pm to 4am on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays as well as on the New Year holiday.

The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing committee today, Thursday, February 26.

The proprietor of Martin’s Takeaway, just off Castle Square, objected to the opening beyond 11pm due to an increase in public disorder, criminal damage, the creation of large volatile crowds and a negative impact on the square, its residents and its users.

He added that when he had a mobile unit on the square the crowds in the area increased and trouble increased.

He said police described it as “near riot conditions” and a Western Telegraph reported described it as “a scene from a wild west movie”.

“I believe that an addition of another late night takeaway just next door but one to my premises will create this mayhem again,” he said.

A Dyfed-Powys Police licensing officer offered no objections to the application but highlighted it was within the Cumulative Impact Area of the town which is extremely busy at night and into the early hours.

The submission to council did ask that conditions on the use of CCTV were applied and a SIA registered door person should be on site from midnight until 4.30am.