Sainsbury’s has been refused a licence to sell alcohol at its new store in North Street, Brighton.
The store falls within the “cumulative impact zone” declared by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Inside the zone, which runs from Preston Street to Upper and Lower Rock Gardens in Kemp Town, applications to sell alcoholic drinks will usually be turned down if objections are received.
Under the policy Sainsbury’s was required to show that it would not be adding to the negative cumulative impact of problems associated with drinking in the area.
Sainsbury’s applied for permission to sell alcoholic drinks from 6am to midnight every day.
The application was turned down by a council licensing panel chaired by Councillor Dee Simson, the Conservative deputy leader of the council.
She said that the application had been refused because Sainsbury’s was in the cumulative impact area.
She said: “It would be required to demonstrate that it would not add to problems of crime and disorder and public nuisance in the area.
“The panel took into account objections received from local residents and the police and were not convinced that measures put forward by the applicant to deal with the problems would be sufficient.”
po-faced council tries to garner votes from punters — let’s hope Sainsbury’s appeal to the unelected JP’s, who of course have independent measured voices.