Police and council licensing officials have objected to an application by the operator of a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise to stay to open until 3am.
Supercharger Central Limited wants to keep its KFC branch in London Road, Brighton, open for three hours later than its current midnight closing time.
Sussex Police objected to the application for a later late-night refreshment licence, citing concerns about crime and disorder in the area.
At a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel hearing today (Monday 21 October), licensing officer Mark Thorogood said that the force recorded 469 violent crimes and anti-social incidents in the year to the end of July.
Mr Thorogood said that much of the crime in London Road and the neighbouring streets was linked to people intoxicated by drink and drugs.
A “crime heat map” of the stetch of London Road that includes KFC was ranked “red” because there were so many incidents.
Mr Thorogood said: “Permitting the premises to be open into the night is likely to increase incidents in the locality at night-time into the early hours due to an increase in footfall, thus having a negative impact and requiring police intervention in an area of concern.”
He said that the area did not have the extra support that the police had along the seafront, West Street, The Lanes and Kemp Town, where there were night marshals and numerous security staff.
Mr Thorogood said that the only venues operating late into the night were Domino’s and Brighton Chicken and Pizza – both takeaways.
Green councillor Sue Shanks, who represents West Hill and North Laine ward, objected to the application and addressed the licencing panel.
Councillor Shanks met the branch manager and said that it was pleasant and calm – but there were issues along London Road, particularly with delivery motorbikes in Francis Street which is “access only”.
She said: “My residents’ main concerns, apart from the crime which has been talked about before, is the noise and the delivery vehicles.
“The staff are expecting it to be mainly takeaways and deliveries. The motorbikes, particularly the delivery motorbikes, are really loud. They come roaring down that street and also Oxford Street which is also residential.”
Christopher Rees-Gay, for Supercharger Central, said that the company had 116 branches of KFC and 207 premises in total, including Taco Bell, Costa and Burger King outlets.
Mr Rees-Gay said that only 30 per cent of the trade came from takeaways and that the business had no plans to sell alcohol.
He said: “The rationale for this is it allows for students and those that work nights and those that work flexibly in our 24-hour modern times to benefit from this offering.
“(That’s) particularly true for key workers and particularly the emergency services who work throughout the night.”
Mr Rees-Gay asked the three-strong panel – made up of councillors Julie Cattell, Lucy Helliwell and Tobias Sheard – to consider whether late-night opening would add to anti-social behaviour in the area.
The panel retired to make its decision which should be made public within five working days.
I REALLY hope this is not approved. I live on elm grove and it’s bad enough already with the students! 7 days a week there is drunk people making noise till 3 in the morning. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
By your own logic, there would still be drunk people regardless of this building being approved; you’ve made an argument for it!
There is absolutely ZERO reason why you should need to buy a KFC at 2 or 3 in the morning
I can think of several reasons just off the top of my head.