Here's how you can join a petition to keep a beloved Kirkby bistro open late after it was made to cut hours

Palm Bistro was opened by mum-of-four Deanna Thrall on Victoria Road, Kirkby, last November. It was previously the Flying Sausage.

Kirkby residents and customers have said they are in “disbelief” after the bistro which is “bettering the community” was forced to shut at 3pm.

Mrs Thrall opened the business unaware it only had temporary planning permission to open until 9,30pm.

Now Ashfield District Council has rejected their application to open until that time permanently and said it is only allowed to open from 9am-3pm.

A petition has been started which currently has 200 signatures and will be submitted to the council.

It is available at the bistro Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 3pm for people to sign.

Grandmother Mrs Thrall, aged 63, who used to work in the environmental health department for Mansfield District Council, said she has had to cancel a sold-out Valentine’s dinner.

She said: “Financially we don’t take enough now. I am frustrated and angry. All we wanted to do was to create a community restaurant and that is what we have created, but now we can’t even feed the kids after school.”

The reason the council gave for limiting the opening hours of the bistro which seats 22 people was it was resulting in a “detrimental impact of the neighbouring residents”.

However, users of the bistro have said they are not the kind of people to be loud.

Ashfield District Council said it refused the application to let the bistro open late following nine letters of objection being received and concerns being raised by the council’s environmental health officer.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield District Council leader, speaking about the bistro, said: “We are supportive of independent businesses but they must be sensitive to surrounding residents. “The council has been working with the owner to see if their planning approach can be regularised.

“There were clear planning limitations such as a temporary planning application when the applicant purchased the property and we have to ensure that our residents have a reasonable quality of life in their own home.

“There is currently an application with us that is under consideration and the owner has been provided with guidance as to potential approaches and the limitations of the specific property.”