A chicken and pizza takeaway in Brighton has been granted a later licence so that it can trade until 1am.
Ishaq Karimi, 32, the owner of Checkachicken Ltd, applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a premises licence to sell “late-night refreshment”.
Mr Karimi wanted Chicks, in Lewes Road, Brighton, to be allowed to stay open until 1am during the week and 5am at weekends.
He did not succeed with his 5am proposal but a council licensing panel said that there was a case for a “limited” extension to the current trading hours.
The licence will allow him to sell food and soft drinks after 11pm. The business does not sell alcohol.
Sussex Police objected to the application because the premises is in a “special stress area” with tighter licensing rules aimed at reducing problems with crime and disorder.
Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood had concerns about deliveries because of a lack of legal parking at the business and problems with crime and disorder along Lewes Road and on The Level.
A legal representative for one of the neighbours raised concerns about anti-social behaviour from people in the area late at night.
Mr Karimi said that he was sorry that his neighbour had suffered poor experiences.
But he said there was no “single, solid, measurable piece of evidence” provided by them or the police to prove that his business opening later would cause problems.
In its decision, the licensing panel – made up of councillors Steve Davis, Dee Simson and Carol Theobald – rejected a 5am finish.
It would have a negative effect on the area which suffers from high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour they said.
They added: “The panel considers that the applicant has made a strong case to enable the grant of a more limited licence.
“He has shown a willingness to work with the responsible authorities and accept their requirements and this is a small premises whose customers are likely to be students on their way home.”
Conditions on the licence included installing security cameras, closing the seated area at midnight and requiring delivery drivers to use designated loading bays. They would not be permitted to stop in Lewes Road outside the business.
And children under 18 would not be permitted inside the premises after 11pm unless accompanied by an adult.
Signs should inform customers that a third-party security firm was on call and people should not gather outside the shop and must leave quietly.
Lol ok, walk past and time of day and night and he has his car parked outside
All the shopkeepers along that stretch just park up all day, I wonder why the warden’s give them a wide berth….mmmm I wonder…..
“It would have a negative effect on the area which suffers from high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour they said”…
But we’re constantly been told that Lewes Road is now almost exclusively a ‘student area’ – are the implications therefore that student areas are concomitant with high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Surely not!!!
Of course this establishment has got an extension!
It’s in an area with a high proportion of students, who obviously vote for the Greens!
Must cater all the time for students must we!
They don’t seem to have the ability to cook any more.
It’a all they appear to live on!
They don’t sell alcohol so what’s the problem?