Drinks licence boost for historic Brighton venue

Plans to restore the Hippodrome in Brighton have been given a boost after the venue was granted a drinks licence by the council.

The licence will permit drinks to be served from 10am to 11.30pm daily, with up to 18 late-night events a year when the grade II* listed venue can stay open until 2am.

Matsim Properties, the family business that owns the Hippodrome, in Middle Street, Brighton, applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a licence as part of its wider business plan.

The company has also submitted a planning application to the council to restore, renovate and extend the venue, adding an “apart-hotel”, a restaurant or café and bars and offices.

The centrepiece of the application is the creation of a “multi-format performance space” – in keeping with the history of the 19th century building.

But Matsim said that a drinks licence was vital to ensure that the plans would be financially viable.

The licence covers the proposed public bar and restaurant area, a private members’ club and an arts club as well as a planned outside terrace.

Matsim told the council that one of the directors, Simon Lambor, 32, would be the “designated premises supervisor”, with day-to-day responsibility for drink sales at the venue.

He attended a council licensing panel hearing last week with his father Andrew Lambor, 66, a fellow director of the business.

They aimed to reassure councillors because the Hippodrome is in the heart of an area that the council has designated a “cumulative impact zone” (CIZ) where tougher licensing rules apply.

The tougher rules reflect the council’s goal of trying to reduce high levels of crime and disorder in the area.

Despite those problems, Sussex Police did not object to Matsim’s licence application.

The council licensing panel heard that the company had spent a year working with the force and the council licensing team on draft licence conditions before submitting its application.

Sussex Police licensing officer Claire Abdulkader told the licensing panel that the venue was in Regency ward which had the highest level of serious violent crime in the whole of Sussex.

Regency ward accounted for more than 6 per cent of all violent crimes dealt with by Sussex Police in 2020-21.

The council’s decision letter said that the licensing panel had been mindful of the location of the venue – in the CIZ.

But the letter said: “The panel shares the view of the responsible authorities that this application is unique and constitutes exceptional circumstances in relation to our policy on cumulative impact in that alcohol is ancillary to the operation of the premises as a restored entertainment venue.”

The licensing panel consisted of three councillors – Dee Simson, Kate Knight and Carol Theobald.

The Hippodrome, designed by architect Frank Matcham, was an ice rink when it opened in 1897 – 125 years ago. It became a circus, then a theatre and later a bingo hall, closing in 2006.

The Brighton-born comedian Max Miller was one of the famous names to appear at the Hippodrome during its six decades as a variety theatre.

Other famous acts included Harry Houdini, Gracie Fields, Laurel and Hardy, Sammy Davis Jr – and a young Charlie Chaplin during his time with the impresario Fred Karno.

The actors Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh both played at the Hippodrome, with Olivier making his professional stage debut there – and falling over on his first stage entrance.

Later, pop groups and singers appeared including Cliff Richard, Dusty Springfield, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who.

There has been talk of the venue being reopened as soon as 2024 – in an ideal world – with a gig by one of Brighton’s biggest modern-day stars, Fatboy Slim.

Matsim said recently: “Subject to achieving planning permission quickly, we are aiming to get the main entertainment venue open by 24 November 2024 – exactly 60 years after it closed.

“How wonderful it would be to get the Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney to open the venue 60 years after they last played there.”