Neighbours have objected to an application for a licence to serve alcoholic drinks at a proposed new café and restaurant in Hove.
A company called Martin and Pine Limited plans to open a venue called Capellini in former antiques shop, Three Angels, in Hove Street.
Its application is due to before a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel next week when three councillors are expected to decide whether drinks can be on the menu.
The proposal is to allow alcohol to be served from Monday to Friday from 11am to 10pm, on Saturdays from 10am to 10pm and on Sundays from 10am to 6pm.
Neighbours initially sent five objections although two have since been withdrawn.
Hove Street is in an area of Brighton and Hove designated a special stress area where the council has tougher rules restricting new bars and pubs – but not cafés closing at 10pm.
Sussex Police agreed draft licence conditions with Martin and Pine owner Amber Sterck, 31, who would be the business’s designated premises supervisor with responsibility for drink at the venue.
The proposed conditions would restrict the sale of alcohol to customers seated at a table, eating a meal and with waiter service.
The licence would ban people from standing and drinking and limit beers and ciders to 6 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume) except speciality or craft brands.
Neighbours feared noise, parking and kitchen smells. One objector, whose details were redacted by the council, said that the planned restaurant was next to the Ginger Pig – and there was no need for two licensed businesses next to each other.
The anonymous objector said: “Within the period dating to a couple of years before the pandemic, at least two nearby pubs have closed and several of the licensed properties in Church Road run as restaurants have failed.
“This would surely suggest that the requirement for licensed premises in the area is already saturated.”
Ms Sterck said: “We have agreed an extensive suite of conditions with the police and – perhaps more importantly to anyone who is concerned about public nuisance – environmental health.
“These conditions put in place strict controls as to how our business can operate and I think it is worth highlighting that if the licence is not granted, we will still open and trade but will not have to adhere to so many restrictions.”
The virtual licensing panel hearing is due to take place at 1pm on Thursday 28 September.
Can’t people come up with other ideas other than a cafe of coffee shop?
It seems hard to think of anything much that would be viable with so much shopping done on-line nowadays. For example, I find it hard to buy the sort of clothes I like because so many shops have closed. Unfortunately, it does seem that alcohol is seen as a necessity to make any food or drink premises attractive to customers, regardless how many other similar premises are nearby. Without getting into the financial aspects,. is it time for councils to start converting more shops to housing?
I think that will eventually be a port of call after brownfield sites. I think Whitehawk has several good opportunities for hybrid developments at the moment with The Gasworks, the ex Whitehawk Inn, and the Valley Social Centre.
No. Unfortunately most of us getting our clothing, souvenirs, insurance policies, loans, books, holidays and even cars online. You may name the rest.
Why people with money should open a shoes shop on hove street, if people are buying on Amazon.
Only services left is food, coffee, nail bars, beauty, chiropractic, hairdressers etc.
I think this is the future of high streets.
Convert the SHOP to housing. That is the viable future of redundant retail outlets. What was there historically? What was it first built to be?