Street food market boss awaits outcome of licensing hearing

The man behind plans for a street food market and tap room in Brighton is waiting to hear whether he will be granted a drinks licence.

Daniel Tapper, 39, appeared at a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel hearing today (Thursday 4 April) when three councillors listened to submissions about the proposed venue.

Mr Tapper, who runs Beak Brewery, in Lewes, has applied for a drinks licence for the old car hire firm premises next to the Prince Albert pub, in Trafalgar Street, Brighton.

He wants to set up a street food market and tap room called Beak Social Club, open until 11pm and with a licence to sell alcohol to be consumed on and off the premises.

He said that his brewery’s beer was popular with tourists – but the venue is in a busy area where stricter licensing rules apply, aimed at tackling drink-related crime and disorder.

Mr Tapper said that cans were sold for prices ranging from £5 to £9 each and were unlikely to attract street drinkers.

Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council licensing officials objected to Mr Tapper’s application because he wanted to go beyond the limitations of the council’s licensing policies.

He addressed some of those concerns by saying that “substantial food” would always be available and customers would only be permitted to drink when seated at a table.

Originally, he had wanted customers to be permitted to collect their drinks from a bar.

Sussex Police licensing officer Hannah Staplehurst said that drink-related crime was high in the area but added that Mr Tapper had worked closely with the force to address concerns and agree conditions.

She nonetheless objected to “off sales” and asked the panel of three councillors to consider carefully whether to allow an 11pm cut-off for alcohol sales, saying that 10pm would be more appropriate.

One objector, Peter Crowhurst, said that he had lived in the North Laine area for more than 30 years. In that time, he said, the number of premises selling alcohol had risen from 23 to 95.

Mr Crowhurst told the panel: “This huge increase in the number of licensed premises is having a detrimental impact on the area, forcing people to leave.

“When they do, their house often becomes an HMO (house in multiple occupation), a party house or Airbnb. Community cohesion is suffering.

“North Laine used to be a diverse area with people of different ages, backgrounds and occupations but it has lost that vitality.”

Mr Crowhurst asked the panel to turn down the application because it went against council policy.

Mr Tapper, a former food writer, said that his vision was for a “world class” indoor street food market similar to those found in Florence, Siena, Bilbao and Borough Market, in London.

He said that the building was blighted by graffiti and at risk of being demolished and replaced with offices. Plans for offices were rejected last October but the site owner could appeal.

The owner of the neighbouring Prince Albert pub, George Taylor, has given his support to the street market proposal.

Mr Tapper said: “This would fit in neatly with the neighbourhood’s reputation as an area for thriving independent businesses and amazing food and drink.

“We’ve been working with an architect to draw up a plan for four affordable kitchens, working with local chefs as well as a speciality coffee and baker concession and a central indoor dining area where people can come to enjoy breakfast, bunch, lunch and dinner, all paired with locally produced craft beer and low-intervention wine.”

Mr Tapper said that the bar would account for 3 per cent of the floor space, with the rest for food, but the business would not be viable without a drinks licence.

The panel – councillors David McGregor, Julie Cattell and Joy Robinson retired to reach a decision which should be made public within five working days.