TAKEAWAYS which flout their opening hours and attract rowdy behaviour could face closure under plans for a major crackdown in York.

A new draft report drawn up by the council's Environment and Sustainability Scrutiny Board outlines the proposals to clamp down on late-night food outlets which persistently stay open later than they should do.

Coun Brian Watson, a key driving force behind the report, said many late-opening York takeaways attracted aggressive and noisy antisocial behaviour which caused misery for locals.

He warned that those which continued to serve out of hours could face prosecution and possible closure.

According to the board's report, the procedure for cracking down on rule-breaking takeaways is currently lengthy and difficult to enforce, with many paper records of opening hours kept in storage - making it hard to check when the rules were being broken.

The board wants the council to speed up the system by drawing up a computer database detailing their agreed opening hours. This would enable the council's planning enforcement officers and police to keep tabs on which establishments were opening too late.

Coun Watson said: "What we want is a system whereby... we can speed up the whole process and hopefully get these people trading right.

"If they don't we can take proper action.

"In our opinion this (report) has got to go through because it's the only way we are going to be able to control the hours and the public disturbance."

The board also wants to see the council's planning enforcement officers - who carry out checks on late-night takeaways - provided with better equipment so they can do their job more effectively.

New kit would include laptops for access to computer records, pool cars, fluorescent tabards marked with the officers' job description, and a digital camera each. They could also be given lessons in self-defence to protect them from attacks while carrying out their late-night duties.

The draft report is to be discussed on May 17.

If approved, it will be then be considered by environment and sustainability chief Coun Andrew Waller.

Updated: 10:35 Tuesday, May 10, 2005