A POPULAR café in Nailsea is hoping to boost its trade by serving evening meals and opening earlier for breakfasts.

Gilly’s Café, in High Street, has applied to North Somerset Council for planning permission to extend its trading hours so it can open from 7.30am to 10.30pm to cater for more customers and meet demand.

The venue is currently able to open at 8am and close at 5.30pm, but these trading times restrict breakfast custom and do not allow it to open during the evenings.

A supporting letter to North Somerset Council states: “The applicant runs a successful café business in Nailsea High Street and has an excellent reputation for good quality food at affordable prices. There is a large and loyal customer base.”

The letter concludes that the café’s current opening times restrict trade when competing businesses in the area are able to stay open longer.

It adds: “This means the café can provide lunches and afternoon teas but cannot cater for the family meal customer for early evening meals and limits provision of breakfast trade as well.

“In order to remain competitive and to continue to provide a range of services therefore, the applicant seeks the removal of the condition from both previous permissions at the site.”

Nailsea Town Council’s planning and environmental committee agreed to recommend approval of the application at a meeting on October 15.