A halal restaurant and takeaway in Brighton has applied for a late-night refreshment licence so that it can trade until 3am seven days a week.
The application follows licensing visits by Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council when the business, Zaf’ron, was found to have been trading later than it should have been.
Both the council and police have objected to the application for a licence for the premises in North Road, Brighton, and Inspector Dan Eagle wrote: “Sussex Police have no confidence in the company applying for this premises licence.”
His formal objection reflects an email sent last November by police licensing officer Mark Thorogood after the Afghani and Persian restaurant was caught trading after 11pm without a licence.
The email said: “When we spoke to you about this, you advised that it had been a busy night and you were not aware of the time and tried to make out this is the first time this has happened.
“We then pointed out the opening hours on your paper menus and on the Just Eat app which stated you are open until midnight seven days a week.
“We have since also noticed this is the same on Google and Facebook which leads us to believe you have not been totally truthful with us about this being a one-off.”
On Thursday 8 August, Mr Thorogood wrote to Zaf’ron’s director Rafiullah Khan, 20, of Chelwood Close, Hollingbury, after another licensing inspection at 11.50pm on Saturday 3 August.
He said: “On approaching the premises, staff could be seen to hurriedly run to close the shop insisting that they had closed already.
“However, food could still be seen being cooked on the grill and the sign on the door indicating it was open.
“To be able to trade hot food and drinks beyond 11pm, the premises must hold a late-night refreshments licence.
“This is disappointing to see this premises trading beyond 11pm without a licence seeing a warning was given in November 2023 for the very same reason.”
The application by Zaf’ron said that the premises could seat about 25 people and would employ a “door supervisor” and have security cameras inside and out.
But the premises is in a busy area where, council licensing official Donna Lynsdale said, “the concentration of licensed premises and the subsequent numbers of people drawn into the city centre is causing exceptional problems of crime and disorder and public nuisance”.
As a result, the council does not tend to grant new late-night licences except in exceptional circumstances when an applicant can show that the premises would not add to the existing problems.
Ms Lynsdale wrote that Mr Khan “has not offered any mitigation or explanation regarding the potential impact … and has not demonstrated how the application is an exception to our policy”.
Interesting having work in the Middle East for many years, I understand what Halal food is. However, alcohol is not Halal and therefore not allowed!!!
I think the licence they are after is to operate a restaurant, not to serve alcohol. The article should be clearer.
It says in the hadith, “Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is haram (forbidden).”
Interestingly so is selling it – to anyone.
Abu Dawood (3674) and Ibn Maajah (3380) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, the one who squeezes (the grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who carries it and the one to whom it is carried.”
Do they plan to slaughter the animals on the premises?
I do hope not. If you don’t know what Halal entails, check it out 🤮
Does any other restaurant in the city do that?
Ridiculous comment,
The Halal element is irrelevant to the story really. However the current owner’s disregard for the rules is. Do we really need more late night places ?
Simple answer, NO !!
It’s a bit ironic that the police always complain about the high crime rates at these licensing panels.
At an alternative panel, restaurant owners might say how dangerous it is for staff to open in the evenings, in these areas because of the high crime rate and the police would make up excuses
The joys of causal paradoxes.
It is best idea to open until 3am . Because it opportunity for workers and Who work lat at night .