A park café has been granted a drinks licence by Brighton and Hove City Council despite objections from neighbours.
The Italian Good Café, in Stoneham Park, Hove, will be able to serve alcohol from 11am to 8pm daily.
The café owner Massimiliano Cristarelli tried to reassure neighbours at a council licensing panel hearing that he had no plans to operate the premises as a pub or bar.
The panel made its decision on Wednesday 5 June when a panel of three councillors – Ivan Lyons, Paul Nann and Kerry Pickett – heard from objectors and Mr Cristarelli.
The licence includes a condition that alcohol should be kept overnight in a first-floor store room.
Before the hearing, Mr Cristarelli agreed a set of draft conditions with Sussex Police.
These included a restriction on glass in the outside area and a requirement that the outside seating would be separated by a barrier from the rest of Stoneham Park.
Mr Cristarelli had wanted to be able to sell drink to take away – known as off-licence sales – but was persuaded to withdraw this aspect of his application.
The café will be required to offer substantial food when alcohol is on sale and customers will not be allowed to drink while standing but must be seated at tables and served by staff.
The council’s decision letter said: “We welcome the applicant’s active engagement with the police, the removal of off-sales and the ready agreement of robust conditions.”
It noted that the café did not have many seats inside or on its outside deck and that the proposed end time hour of 8pm would comply with council policy.
Why does a cafe in a children’s park need to serve alcohol?
Have you seen the state of children of today. Lol