A McDonald's restaurant will be opening 24 hours a day despite residents' fears there will be more noise and anti-social behaviour.

The fast food business, in Barrett Road, Tuckswood, was granted licensing permission to open the drive-through section between 11pm and 5am seven days a week at a Norwich City Council licensing sub-committee meeting yesterday.

But one of the objectors Richard Webb, 64, of Barrett Road, said the only customers who would use the diner between those hours were late-night nightclub revellers who could cause trouble.

He added there had been problems with customers leaving litter on pavements close to the restaurant.

'I was disappointed by the decision. It is in the middle of a residential area and I don't see the need or necessity for it,' he said.

Kevin Foley, franchisee for the Barrett Road restaurant and another at Norwich Airport, told the meeting at Norwich Guildhall he could get 22pc more trade at night from shift workers, including police and paramedics.

He said extra custom could come from the new Goals Soccer Centre across the road at Hewett School as the centre will close at 11pm, when his McDonald's currently shuts.

He added there were always two managers on site, CCTV coverage, and staff were trained to move on customers making noise in the diner's grounds, while there were signs asking customers to keep the noise down.

He said restaurant staff made regular litter collections and he had helped deal with one resident's complaints about noise by putting up a wooden fence between his property and the restaurant.

Some McDonald's restaurants have been open 24 hours a day for two years and an extra 15 staff will be taken on at the Barrett Road branch. Only the drive-through section will open for 24 hours as the restaurant will shut between 10pm and 6am.

County councillor David Fairbairn, who represents Lakenham ward, objected to the licensing application on the grounds of noise disturbance from drunken late-night revellers.

He told the meeting: 'A lot of people come down Lakenham Road and then onto Barrett Road and this is quite late at night when they have had a drink or two and they do cause a disturbance.'

Are you fighting a licensing application? Contact Evening News reporter Dominic Bareham on 01603 772419 or email dominic.bareham2@archant.co.uk.