Appeal initiated against refusal of Asda rooftop food venue

An appeal has been lodged into a recent refusal of a rooftop street food venue in Walsall.

The Rooftop Food Court was unanimously refused planning permission last week by the planning committee at Walsall Council. Members of Walsall Council’s planning committee heard how fire safety was a huge issue. 

Several of the exits at the multi-storey George Street car park were blocked with cable ties, a steel plate and a roller shutter. 

Chairman of the planning committee and leader of the authority, Councillor Mike Bird, said: “One word: Grenfell.” 

Following the meeting, applicant Mohammed Khalid has criticised the decision and said that the committee was ‘misled’. He claimed that an agreed extension of time was not adhered to and that the blocked fire exits were nothing to do with the venue. 

Located on the fourth storey of the Asda carpark in the town centre, the popular venue had been operating without permission for about 12 months. 

The site boasted around a dozen shipping containers each offering street food. It also had a silent outdoor cinema and seating for 350 people.

In October 2025, Walsall Council shut down operations stating the activities posed an immediate risk to public safety. The notice was then lifted two months later following the owner’s compliance.

The venue continued to operate after the notice was withdrawn, and a planning application was submitted to have the works regularised. But Walsall Council’s planning officers recommended that the application be refused for a number of reasons.

Members heard how the foul drainage system for fats and grease was illegally attached to the council’s surface highway drain. A private drainage consultant said the workmanship was the ‘worst they’d seen in 45 years’.

Members also heard how West Midlands Police visited the venue on two separate occasions, one of them for a car meet which led to the food court being shut down. 

Along with fire safety, poor drainage, crime and antisocial behaviour, Walsall Council’s planning officers recommended a refusal due to the site’s location in the Church Hill Conservation Area and the amenity of neighbours.

At the meeting Mr Khalid said he was unaware of the issues until recently and explained that they could be resolved with a bit more time.

Now an appeal has been lodged, both Walsall Council and the applicant will have to submit evidence to a government planning inspector who will make the final decision.