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It's a lot harder to get permission to change an A1 space into a bar, not because of planning permission but because of licensing. Local authorities are generally very unlikely to grant new licences, especially for an A1 space. It depends what's around it, but if it's in a street full of bars the LA will say there's enough, if if there aren't any bars then they'll listen to any objections about a new bar in a residential/shopping area. Generally proposals for new licences are turned down because all the local residents object.
Turning an A1 space into a chippy should in theory be easy, because it's covered by permitted development, but in reality local authorities make people apply for planning permission, at which point you could object, and your objection would be taken seriously if you lived on top of it. However, arguing "When we bought the flat it was A1" wouldn't cut it as it's a legitimate change of use.
That said, I'm aware of a fairly high profile example at the moment on Chatsworth Road where a cafe is trying to get a change of use to a restaurant and an objection to the change of use by the tenant living behind is one of the things that's holding it up.
Something like the 5am greengrocer example wouldn't require a change of use and is a good example of why personally I wouldn't buy above a shop. There are a lot of risks you can't control.
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Fox
Yes, they'd give you an idea, but it would probably be 'maybe, depends'.
It's not just chip shops that are a worry. How about a bar? Or an offy that opens until midnight? Or just a grocers that gets it's first delivery at 5am every day?
Only you can decide how good the flat is vs the risk of being above a commercial premises.
But then who's to say someone in a residential building might not be noisier than a shop?
All of this is why I live on a desert island.