ALCOHOL will soon be readily available with takeaway meals after two restaurants were granted sixth-category licences to do so yesterday.

The Licensing Assembly granted applications by the Rice Bowl in St Clement and Hot Stuff Pizza in St Helier to sell alcohol to customers as part of their takeaway delivery service.

Under the conditions of the licence, alcohol can be purchased only with food that is being delivered – not when food is being collected from the restaurants.

The restaurants will have to keep a register of all deliveries made and drivers must confirm that they are satisfied that customers receiving the orders are over the age of 18.

Both licence applications were initially reserved, after concerns were raised about under-age supply and late-night drinking in the street.

The point was raised, however, that the Robin Hood Curry House was granted a similar licence last December and the owner of Hot Stuff Pizza said his establishment had been at a disadvantage because of this.

Attention was brought to the court about how it would now be difficult to refuse a licence to any takeaway business unless they allowed a new form of sixth-category (off) licence.