Killjoy council backflips on late-night kebab ban

A popular kebab shop has been vindicated after its early morning opening hours were reinstated so it can serve food to late-night partygoers. 

Woollahra Council had barred the Indian Home Diner from serving after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays in April after saying it was ‘not in the ‘public interest’ for the outlet to stay open.

The Paddington go-to hub had been a drawcard for late-night crowds coming home from the city and had a loyal following in ‘s eastern suburbs. 

After the ban, a swell of supporters from online community Bondi Lines rose up in protest to get their early morning kebabs. 

Candidates for the federal seat of Wentworth at the time, Dave Sharma and Allegra Spender, also propped up the diner, with Spender calling it a ‘national treasure’.

The Indian restaurant celebrated getting back to its 3am closing time after the council back-pedaled on Tuesday night. 

An attendant from the Indian Home Diner told Daily Mail Australia: ‘We are excited about the decision, not only us, everyone our customers, neighbours.’ 

On social media, the shop’s page said: ‘We are a small family-run business and Menang189 from the very beginning it has always been about bringing great food to good people.

‘Never did we imagine we would have such an impact on so many lives or that complete strangers would come together to rally beside us during our challenging times.’

The halal meat and saucy naan food with garlic and butter chicken flavours will continue to comfort weary night goers up to 3am from this weekend onwards. 

Liberal councillor Sean Carmichael, who got 4000 signatures on a petition to restore the Indian food to the streets late at night, said a ‘well-loved slice of Oxford Street has, for a change, been saved’.

He said there was ‘widespread public anger’ over the drop in Oxford street night life because of red tape.