Sainsbury’s has suffered its second licensing setback in Brighton in just over three months.
The supermarket chain has been told that it cannot sell alcohol at its new store at the corner of St James’s Street and Old Steine, formerly a branch of Taj.
The company also had a licence application turned down for its North Street branch in December.
It has appealed against the North Street decision and is expected to appeal against yesterday’s decision to refuse a licence for the former Taj premises.
The decision was taken by a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel after objections from councillors, police and residents.
Both stores fall within the “cumulative impact area” designated by the council.
The cumulative impact area – which covers much of the commercial centre of Brighton – is deemed to be saturated with licensed premises.
The council’s policy is to turn down new applications for a licence to sell alcoholic drinks.
It makes exceptions only when applicants can prove that they will not add to the city centre’s drink-related and public order problems.
