This is the verdict on whether Smokies takeaway can stay at Longton's Red Lion pub

The fate of a popular village takeaway has been decided.

Smokies Grill Hut, which had been running in the grounds of Longton's Black Bull, reopened on the car park of the Red Lion pub in November, after a two-month hiatus. But neither Aaron Millar, who runs Smokies with Sam Carroll, nor management at the pub had got the all-clear from South Ribble Borough Council.

Read more about the background here

Last night (Thursday, February 1), members of the planning committee had to decide on whether to allow retrospective permission.

Nobody from Smokies or the pub attended the meeting, but there was a unanimous decision in their favour - Smokies will be allowed to stay.

The committee heard how there had been three letters of support for the application, that it was in an already built-up area, and that the food truck's distance from residential properties was policy compliant.

Councillor David Shaw questioned why the Red Lion had previously been refused a kitchen area due to concerns over ventilation, yet the food truck was recommended for approval. He was told by an officer that the scale of operation was not comparible, and that Environmental Health "saw nothing wrong with it".

Conditions have been put on the business, so that it can only operate between 4-9pm on Wednesdays to Sundays.

A spokesman for Smokies said: "We had every faith we would be accepted. We want to say a big thank you for everyone’s support, as always. We couldn’t do it without all our customers and followers, and also a big thank you to the neighbours as we had no objections." Click here to see whats on the menu.