A café has secured its alcohol licence despite opposition from neighbours.
Hove Park Community Café’s new licence allows alcohol sales from noon to 10pm daily, with substantial food available at all times.
During a virtual licensing panel hearing on Thursday 23 November, café owner and director Gino Fox, 63, confirmed the business had no plans to allow people to stand and drink, and alcohol would be delivered to people seated at tables.
Goldstone Crescent resident Garth Hall was one of three neighbours who objected. He was concerned the park would turn into a pub with potentially 150 people in the outside area.
The panel – councillors Emma Daniel, John Hewitt and Paul Nann – agreed with the café manager and designated premises supervisor, Millie Duthie, that the 44 covers available in the outside area will be “self-limiting”.
Another neighbour, Colin Howell, was concerned about the effectiveness of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras required as a condition of any licence.
In their decision released on Monday 4 December the panel stated the police would check the CCTV as per the condition.
The panel said: “The panel considers that the applicants have covered all the relevant concerns and that their limited style of operation was not likely to undermine the licensing objectives.
“The applicants had clearly thought through their application and worked with the responsible authorities to agree appropriate conditions, including comprehensive CCTV, staff training and Challenge 25.
“The model proposed was similar to that which operated in other city parks and worked in those locations and was a responsible one.”
Lot of scotch eggs then ?
More of the same usual booze booze booze and more booze, everywhere all the time being served and sold at an enormous percentage of all commercial outlets in the country.
What’s the problem if someone wants a glass of wine with their friends on a nice summers day?
And it only works if there’s a demand from people.
And if there’s a demand, wtf has it got to do with you what people choose to do?
This works fine in other parks.
Don’t be so miserable.
Let”s see how that goes,
Great news
Don’t worry, it ain’t going to turn into a wetherspoons pub,
Indeed. The ‘pub’ argument was silly NIMBYism which was quite rightly ignored.
I thought it was going to be turned into a Japanese Pagoda?
That horde of dangerously drunken phantoms have inumerable easier and cheaper options for debauchery within shuffling distance. I can’t see 8 quid glasses of Malbec and tiny craft beer cans being much of a draw to genuine booze hounds. Relax my fine Brightonian friends, this cafe is not bringing ruination to our lovely city anytime soon.