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A long-established laundry in Fife has asked Fife Council to ease restrictions on its opening hours to help it continue to operate successfully.

ACF employs 49 people at its industrial laundry business at Cupar Indoor Market, and could increase that to 60.

But, the company says its current operating hours are too restrictive.

It is proposing new hours of 7:00am-9:00am, Monday to Saturday from January to May, and 8:00am to 6:00pm Sundays between September to December inclusive. In June and August it would run from 6:00am to 10:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 8:00am-8:00pm on Sundays.

Cupar Laundry is long-established but it wants to change restrictions to its opening hours

It also wants to amend the times deliveries can be made to its premises.

In a supporting statement, the company described conditions on its opening hours as “overly restrictive.”

It said: “The laundry is well established, but is currently restricted in terms of its hours of operation by planning conditions. These impact on the ability of the business to perform in accordance with market demand and also constrain the ability to employ staff in efficient and effective shifts, which are conducive to the successful operation of the business.

“The laundry employs local people and supports the local hospitality and tourism industry. The overly restrictive Planning Conditions exert a burden on the ability of ACF to properly perform commercially in a competitive market.

“ACF has been affected by Covid 19 and has required to operate at times outwith consented hours. The businesses which we service now expect this level of service and this.

“The potential failure of the business, to run successfully, will not only jeopardise the retention of local direct jobs at ACF, but also indirectly impact on businesses associated with the hospitality/tourism industry.”

The business has added private health care and hospitals to its core business servicing the hospitality sector.

As a result of the pandemic, staff have shown a preference for shift or part-time working, and, operationally, the laundry needs longer hours with fewer people on shift at any one time.

The existing restrictions were partly put in place after concerns were raised about noise

Councillors will consider the application in due course.

Busy Fife laundry bids to extend ‘restrictive’ opening hours