Hove restaurant linked to police investigation, councillors told

A restaurant in Hove is linked to a police investigation, councillors were told, and an anonymous neighbour said that it was operating as a “pseudo night club”.

The evidence was submitted to a council licensing panel this morning (Tuesday 30 January) at a hearing to decide an application for a licence variation.

Emad Abdolkhani, the owner of Persia, in Church Road, Hove, applied for a licence variation so that he might be able to serve drinks on the first floor of the premises.

Sussex Police objected to the application by Mr Abdolkhani, 34, and Brighton and Hove City Council convened a licensing panel to hear the evidence and decide the matter.

Sussex Police asked for their objection to the application be held in a private session during a virtual hearing his morning.

Licensing officer Andre Bernascone told the panel of three councillors – Julie Cattell, Joy Robinson and Tobias Sheard – that the restaurant was linked with an ongoing investigation.

He said: “No charges have been brought but, by discussing this in public, it could prejudice the actual investigation and also cause harm to the people involved in it who are innocent until proven guilty.”

Council licensing officer Emma Grant said that there were some concerns about the lack of information that the police were able to provide at this time.

A resident, whose details were redacted in public meeting papers, submitted questions to the hearing, which Mr Abdolkhani’s solicitor Nicholas Perkins answered.

But the questions and the responses given by Mr Perkins were shared only with councillors and not made public.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has requested copies of the questions and answers.

The neighbour objected to Mr Abdolkhani’s application, saying that the business operated as a “pseudo night club” and that Church Road did not have restaurants operating on two levels.

The objector said: “Since Persia opened, we have had repeated instances of people using our front garden to take drugs or drink.

“They have moved on when asked but late-night revelry will only compound this problem.”

The neighbour also raised concerns about a planning application for an extension at the back of the building and a change of use for the first floor. The planning application was refused by the council last July.

Councillor Cattell, a professional planner and a member of the council’s Planning Committee, asked whether the first floor was currently in operation because she was aware of the lack of planning permission and upcoming enforcement action.

Mr Perkins said that the area was unfurnished and not in use – and that none of the other neighbours had objected to the application to vary the licence.

He said: “The objection seems to be a general complaint about the area of Hove. It is acknowledged it is a challenging area fronting Church Road.

“It is the hub of the late-night economy in Hove. No doubt there are issues in that area but we say this application will not add to those.

“These premises are well run and the conditions on the licence are adequate and proportionate.”

Mr Abdolkhani said that his customers were unlikely to bother people living behind the business because they could not directly access the rear of the building, with Persia sandwiched between two other premises – Franca Manca and Hixon Green.

The panel was told that Persia was located in a part of Brighton and Hove that has been designated a “special stress area” by the council where policies restrict new licences for alcohol-led businesses.

At present, Persia can sell alcohol from 11am to 10.30pm from Monday to Saturday and from 11am to 10pm on Sundays, with the premises closing 30 minutes later.

Mr Abdolkhani is currently banned from being a company director until August 2027. He resigned as a director of Persia in August 2021. He remains the designated premises supervisor, with responsibility for alcohol sales.

The panel retired to make its decision which should be made public within five working days.