A bar where police found significant traces of drugs looks likely to reopen under a new operator and with reduced opening hours.
Sussex Police sought to have the drinks licence revoked for Antidote, in Western Road, Hove, but before a formal hearing could take place the premises owner terminated the bar’s lease.
A barrister for the police, Peter Savill, told a licensing panel earlier this year: “The drug-related problems have persisted in spite of changes of ownership, licence holder and management.”
But by the time the Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel resumed its licence review hearing yesterday (Thursday 27 April), the police stance had softened.
Mr Savill called for a “yellow card” – a warning – after the freeholder and a new operator pledged to prevent a recurrence of the premises’ persistent drug problem.
The fresh start would involve the business being run by a local operator, Bar Logic, which would drop the Antidote name for the venue which was previously known as the Back Beat Bar.
When police applied for a formal review of the licence, a report said that readings taken at the venue that indicated “bulk” amounts of cocaine were in contact with surfaces there.
The readings were taken in several places on four separate occasions from December 2021 to last December.
The building’s owner, James Dyson, 60, director of Ritan Enterprises Limited, terminated Antidote’s lease before a licensing panel hearing in February.
Mr Dyson told councillors that he was working on a plan for Bar Logic to take over the venue, operating under stricter licence conditions.
Mr Dyson took on the premises licence himself and said that he would be more “hands on” with the business.
Bar Logic is run by Alex Doukakis, the licensee at the Ralli Hall, a community centre, in Denmark Villas, Hove. He also runs bars at events, including the Brighton Festival.
Mr Savill told councillors that, after “extensive and constructive” discussions, the force had agreed draft conditions for a licence.
Mr Savill said: “None of this detracts from the seriousness with which the police viewed the state of affairs as it existed prior to the submission of the review application.
“The police invite the panel to issue a ‘yellow card’, as it were, to mark things are going forward.”
The new conditions on the licence would require substantial hot food to be available at all times, with menus on display, and earlier closing.
The licensing hours were previously 10am to 2am daily but the proposal put to the panel was for 10am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, with the premises closing at 12.30am.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the premises would open at 10am and stop serving at 1am, closing at 1.30am.
Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood said that the night club style basement area would be used only for pre-booked parties, with a record to be kept of those using the venue.
Increased security would be required in the summer – to be reviewed at the end of October.
Mr Thorogood said: “We are putting a lot of faith in the new management and the team at the premises and hope this works.
“We will be keeping a close eye on them and we have made Mr Dyson aware that should we get any more high dry readings at the venue then we won’t hesitate in calling another review.”
Another barrister, James Rankin, for Mr Dyson, said that he had removed the previous operator François Roberts as soon as he was made aware of the licence review and drug problems.
He said that the new designated premises supervisor, Mr Doukakis, would “lead from the front”.
Green councillor Zoe John asked when the bar might reopen again. Mr Dyson said that it would not be for four to six weeks.
Labour councillor Theresa Fowler asked if the bar was being renamed and if any former staff would be employed. Mr Dyson said that the front was being changed and that Antidote no longer existed.
Mr Rankin said that none of the previous staff would return to the venue which would have a change of style and character.
Conservative councillor Dee Simson, who chaired the panel, said that the business had already been closed for three months which had acted “almost like” a suspension.
The panel retired to make its decision which should be published within five working days.
