Police and licensing officials have objected to an application by a late-night takeaway to extend its hours until 4am, citing high levels of violent crime in the area.
Brighton Pizza and Chicken, in London Road, has a late-night refreshment licence allowing food sales until 2am at weekends and midnight Sunday to Thursday.
But at a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel hearing today (Tuesday 4 February), Sussex Police licensing officer Claire Abdelkader said that the force started looking into the premises late April.
It was at around this time that its late licence was suspended after non-payment of licence fees.
The business was found to be trading until 5am – “well beyond its licence conditions”. Sussex Police submitted a screenshot of the business’s website saying that it was open until 5am.
At the hearing, Ms Abdelkader said that the business’s website now showed 2am closing daily, not just at weekends.
She said that although the licence did not include alcohol sales, late-night food venues encouraged people who had been drinking to gather in the area.
This increased the risk of crime, anti-social behaviour and public nuisance in an already problematic area, she said.
There were 469 incidents in London Road and neighbouring streets, mostly violent crimes during the day and evening, over a recent 12-month period, the police said.
On the Sussex Police crime heat map, London Road is ranked as “red”.
The business is in the West Hill and North Laine electoral ward. The Brighton and Hove public health framework ranked the ward worst for police-recorded drink-related crime in Brighton and Hove – and second for violence.
Ms Abdelkader said: “With the area already experiencing a high number of incidents, permitting a premises to open into the night is likely to increase incidents in the locality due to an increase in footfall thus having a negative impact and requiring police intervention.”
Brighton Pizza and Chicken owner Javid Omare said that the 5am closing was his mistake, having recently taken over the business.
He said that he had amended the website but was not aware that the details were still wrong. Google, though, showed an 11pm closing time.
Mr Omare said that he would be willing to accept a licence condition that permitted deliveries only from 2am to 4am.
The shop would employ its own drivers, he said, using the rear entrance to prevent pavement parking along the London Road red route.
The licensing panel was told that Mr Omare had completed an SIA (Security Industry Authority) door staff course to comply with the proposed conditions put forward by Sussex Police.
He said: “We’re currently facing a financially tough time. There’s been some previous issues with the licence. However, I’ve recently taken over the business and I’m trying to follow the steps I need to take to stick to the law.”
The panel of three councillors – John Hewitt, Paul Nann and Alison Thomson – retired to make their decision which should be made public within five working days.
