A polarising pitch for a new upper floor of eateries selling alcohol above the Nag’s Head Market was rejected by the licensing sub committee at a lively town hall meeting last night.

Leaseholder Simone Moroni, who owns the Italian Job pub chain, has been pushing for permission to sell food and booze in his would-be Upper Place concept above the existing covered market, in Seven Sisters Road.

Opponents have run an impassioned campaign to stop the application, with a petition of 219 neighbours opposed to the plan and 37 representations made against it. The applicant had twenty-one letters in support.

Cllr Gary Heather (Lab, Finsbury Park), who objected to the plans at last nights meeting, told the Gazette: “I welcome the decision of the committee to reject the application.

“There is nothing against the applicant and in a different place it would have been another story but it’s because of the licencing policy on the cumulative impact area.” He said the Upper Place’s capacity would have been 430 people.

The cumulative impact area allows councillors to reject an application if it could impact one or more of the licencing objectives.

Key concerns included its capacity, opening hours, proximity to neighbours and children, the areas high alcohol density and existing problems, and preexisting problems with drug-taking and anti-social behaviour near the Hersteld Road Morrisons.

The meeting was attended by 60-odd people, including Mr Moroni. Councillors will say why they rejected the application within five working days.

Mr Moroni has initially applied for licence sell alcohol and food and play live or amplified music until 12.30am.

But he later dropped his request for music and asked to sell booze on-site between 10am and 11pm Monday to Thursday, and between 10am and 12pm Monday to Friday.