Argentinian family-run food business seeks drinks licence

A family-run Argentinian food business wants to open a second outlet in Brighton but faces objections to its application for a drinks licence.

Malo, which has premises in Duke Street, has applied for a licence from noon to 9pm daily for premises at 90 St James’s Street, home to a shop called DescryUK.

The objections were submitted by Sussex Police, Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team and a neighbour.

The business is run by an Italian and Argentinian family – Jorge Pautasso, 56, Adriana Torrembo, 59, Mariel Pautasso, 29 and Borja Pautasso, 22.

Their Duke Street premises was granted a licence in July 2021. They also own the Baqueano steak house, in Western Road, Brighton.

Because of the objections, a licensing panel made up of three Brighton and Hove councillors will decide the application at a hearing next Tuesday (23 July).

The family aim to open the Kemp Town premises at 7am each day and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to up to 30 people at a time.

They want a licence to serve alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer and cocktails on and off the premises.

An anonymous neighbour, whose details were redacted by the council, objected to the licence application, saying that there were already problems with people drinking and taking drugs in St James’s Street.

The objector said: “To grant this licence will simply add to the problem, not resolve it in any fashion. It would be tantamount to placing profit before the safety of local residents.”

Council licensing officer Donna Lynsdale said that the application did not mention that the premises was located in a busy part of Brighton where new licences are restricted.

Ms Lynsdale said that the application had not set out any exceptional circumstances that would justify departing from a council policy that restricted new “off-sales” licences in the area.

Inspector Dan Eagle said that Sussex Police did not believe that the premises should have an off-sales licence.

St James’s Street had a “problem profile”, he said, while proposing similar conditions to those on the licence for the Duke Street premises. These required alcohol to be sold with food – and the drinks were largely Argentinian.

Inspector Eagle said: “There are also concerns around the delivery of alcohol … as no conditions have been offered around preventing the sale of alcohol to children or refusing delivery of alcohol to public spaces.

“This is again disappointing as conditions were agreed for their Duke Street site which could have been offered/amended for their new site to show thought had been given to potential crime and disorder, protection of children from harm and public safety issues.”

Mrs Torrembo said n a letter that she would be happy to restrict drinks to diners and ensure off-sales were only available with a food order of more than £10.

She also offered to accept conditions that restricted alcohol sales to Argentinian products and that required customers to be seated.

She said: “We want to offer an Argentinian experience to customers who wish to do so. However, our range of alcohol is not particularly cheap due to it being imported to us.

“This explains why alcohol is not our primary activity. We are focusing more on the sale of coffee, tea or any soft drinks with an empanada.

“And in fact for this premises at Kemp Town we are offering high-quality coffee to ensure coffee as a main point of sale together with an empanada or an alfajor.”

The licensing panel hearing is due to start at 10am on Tuesday (23 July) and is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.