A Hove petrol station operator has applied for a 24-hour drinks licence.
Motor Fuel Limited, the operator of Hove Service Station, in Denmark Villas, already trades 24 hours a day.
The company applied to Brighton and Hove City Council to vary its alcohol licence conditions – with drink sales currently permitted from 7am to 11pm – so that they matched its opening hours.
The business also has a “late-night refreshment” licence, permitting the sale of food, hot drinks and soft drinks from 11pm to 5am.
The application was presented to a council licensing panel yesterday (Monday 26 June) after two councillors lodged an objection.
One of them, John Allcock, stood down at the local elections last month. The other, Jackie O’Quinn, has since become the mayor of Brighton and Hove.
So a fellow Goldsmid ward councillor, newly elected Birgit Miller, addressed the licensing panel hearing which took place remotely.
Councillor Miller said that people living in the area were concerned about the prospect of anti-social behaviour if street drinkers were to have access to alcohol 24 hours a day.
The Labour councillor said: “When out canvassing, we heard complaints about anti-social behaviour, alcohol and drug use. It is an issue in this area. It should be a quiet residential area but the station has an impact.
“There are these dark areas where people congregate and, unfortunately, one of these is close to the petrol station.
“And the thought this could continue, with people going to buy more alcohol until two, three, four in the morning and continuing drinking and lighting fires, is something residents are very worried about.”
Motor Fuel’s solicitor, Robert Botkai, of Winckworth Sherwood, said that the company was an “experienced operator” with 610 petrol stations with 24-hour licences in England and Wales.
The company consulted Sussex Police and proposed draft licence conditions that would prohibit customers from entering the shop after midnight unless two staff were working.
It said that, currently, the shop door closed at 10pm after when customers were served through a window.
Mr Botkai said: “If the fears of residents do materialise and if we are the only 24-hour licence in that locality, then it would be pretty obvious where those problems are coming from.
“There is a very clear route for residents and councillors to take, including review. What would happen in practice is I hope someone … would contact us if there was trouble.”
Mr Botkai said that there had been no complaints about the shop and council licensing officers had not raised any issues.
One member of the panel, Green councillor Kerry Pickett, asked whether the company would settle for a 2am cut-off.
Mr Botkai said that he could not say there and then but added that there was no evidence that allowing a 24-hour licence would cause any harm.
Another member of the panel, Labour councillor John Hewitt, asked whether the company planned to put more alcohol on sale if its application was granted.
Motor Fuel’s area manager Haran Balasundaram said that it would take up no more than 15 per cent of the available space.
The panel retired to decide whether to grant the application and its decision should be made public within five working days.
I cannot see this being allowed.
The garage is opposite a council flats tower block and very near the 5 tower blocks Clarendon & Ellen council flats estate.
Many of these flats are now used as temporary housing; and increasingly, people with substance abuse/alcohol addiction issues are moved into them.
Putting alcohol availabity under their noses throughout the night will not help with attempts at recovery.
There is absolutely no reason why someone should need to be buying more alcohol past midnight in a densely build-up residential area.