A TASTE of South America could be coming to Wood Farm in the form of a new restaurant if approved by councillors on Monday(22/8).

An application for a new premises license has been submitted to Oxford City Council to fill a vacant space on the Atkyns Road shopping parade.

If approval is granted, the space at Number 5, formerly pet shop Evolution Reptiles, will be turned into a Portuguese and Brazilian eatery with a bar.

Comments submitted by owner Vera Franca read: "The premises will be used as a small Portuguese cafe/restaurant providing Portuguese and Brazilian food and drinks.

"We will provide a seating area at the front of the premises where the bar will be located and also a small seating area at the rear part of the premises."

It is hoped that the new cafe would be open from 8am to 10pm from Mondays to Thursdays and from 8am to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

CCTV is to be installed outside the premises and prospective operators said they would run a 'Challenge 25' scheme to prevent underage drinking.

But Oxford City Councillor Susan Brown, who represents the Churchill ward, said she was "concerned" about the prospects for the premises being licensed.

She added: "The proposed cafe is in the middle of a quiet residential area, opposite sheltered accommodation and most significantly, underneath family flats. 

"The possibility of noise and nuisance from licensed premises unless there were very restricted opening hours would be considerable."