Plans for a new Indian take away in Marlborough was not to everyone's taste at the town council's planning committee last night.

Husband and wife councillors Nick and Edwina Fogg expressed the fear that The Parade was being turned into a take away ghetto.

Before the committee was a planning application for a hot food takeaway at 13 The Parade, formerly the offices of Equilibrium Wealth Management.

Coun Nick Fogg said: "I think The Parade is gradually being turned into a whole street of take aways."

He said The Parade was the second most important retail street in the town after the High Street.

He added: "This proposal would involve part destruction of this building."

The street already has a two Chinese take aways (one with a restaurant), a fish and chip shop, a sandwich and snack bar, a riverside café in Kennet Place, and three pubs.

The town already has two Indian take aways with restaurants in London Road and in Kingsbury Street.

Some of the pizza businesses in the High Street also offer take away meals.

Coun Edwina Fogg said: "I think that having three take aways in the street is enough and to have a fourth would be too much."

Coun Stan Radnedge said he shared the view of Mr and Mrs Fogg.

However Coun Robin Notton said: "There is a demand for take aways and I guess there is an argument that they are better together than spread all over the town."

Coun Notton continued: "There were food shops in the Parade when I was a lad but in those days they weren't take aways but were butchers and grocers."

He said the council had to bear in mind that The Parade was "a difficult trading area" and he added: "There was a time when the street virtually died."

Coun Bryan Castle said the proposed premises had been empty for some time.

The committee voted seven-three to raise no objection to the take away plans.