A seafront café is at risk of losing its drinks licence after a councillor complained that it was being run like an Ibiza-style night club.
Others have also complained about the noise coming from the Whitecliffs Café, in Marine Drive, Saltdean, prompting a review of the licence by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The owner, artist Julie-Anne Gilburt, 51, also known as Julie-Anne Honeysett, said: “I am tackling longstanding issues, changing the nature of the business and seeking to ensure we comply with all legal requirements.”
But a licensing panel, made up of three councillors, is due to hold a review hearing on Friday (6 December) and decide whether to take any action.
A report to the panel said that it could amend, suspend or revoke the licence or order the business to change the person in charge, known as the designated premises supervisor (DPS).
Ms Gilburt only recently became the DPS although she said that she bought the business in 2018.
The report said: “The grounds for the review relate to the following licensing objectives – the prevention of public nuisance (and) the protection of children from harm.”
It also said: “Noise emanating from within licensed premises should not normally be audible outside.”
Brighton and Hove Independent councillors Bridget Fishleigh and Mark Earthey, who represent Rottingdean and West Saltdean, asked the council to review the licence as a result of complaints.
Councillor Fishleigh said that the venue applied to extend its opening hours beyond 10pm in 2018 so that it could host more wedding receptions and functions.
Currently, the café can sell alcohol from Monday to Thursday from noon to 1am and from Friday to Sunday from noon to 3am.
Conditions attached to the licence allow the sale of alcohol only when the DPS is on the premises – and sales should be made only by someone holding a personal licence.
Councillor Fishleigh quoted the extended hours application: “The 3am finish on Fridays to Sundays is to accommodate private functions, parties, wedding receptions, etc.
“We would not anticipate the venue being open to the general public until this time unless a specific event has been organised.”
She said: “The Whitecliffs has now morphed into a venue which hosts music nights arranged internally by an events manager – and by outside organisations.
“For these events, music is not secondary to food and is resulting in public nuisance on a regular basis – loud music and noise made by people when they leave the Whitecliffs.”
Environmental health officers said that they had made two visits and given out three “noise diaries” although these had not been returned.
If the premises is permitted to keep its licence, a request was made that licence conditions should require all windows and doors to be kept shut after 11pm.
Councillor Earthey, who has lived in Saltdean for more than 20 years, said: “I believe that over the past two to three years the premises has evolved a business model which is in breach of its licence conditions.
“It is more like an Ibiza-style club than a café that hosts a few evening events for local clientele.
“Enough is enough! I maintain that the premises’ current business model constitutes a public nuisance and thus breaches its licence conditions.”
Ms Gilburt said that although she bought the business in 2018, she only took control on Thursday 3 October, two weeks before the request for a review was lodged.
She has asked to amend the licensed hours so that from Sunday to Thursday they run from noon to 11pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 12.30am.
She said that since taking over the business she had removed night club-style sound and lighting systems, cancelled events and focused on rebalancing the business towards food. And she had appointed an independent environmental health officer to advise on noise.
Ms Gilburt said: “This list is not exhaustive but it can be seen that I am tackling longstanding issues, changing the nature of the business and seeking to ensure we comply with all legal requirements.
“I have also invited feedback on social media as to how we could improve what we do and what sort of offering people would like to see.
“We received over 140 comments, the vast majority of which were supportive, positive and constructive.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the majority of these actions were instigated prior to the review being lodged.”
The licensing panel hearing is due to start at 10am on Friday 6 December. It is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
San runs another pub into the ground…. Same guy who ran the bulldog on st James street into the ground along with various other pubs in the past….
Whilst I’m out of the age range for night clubs or anything like them, if a late night even has to be anywhere this must be one of the best places for it. There are no homes near it, its nearest neighbour being the Lido; its noise is well insulated from anyone. Why should a small, successful business be put at risk by a very few who are troubled by happy, albeit inebriated, revellers making their way home? Try Brighton for a contrast.
No: particularly if the opening hours are being altered this is a good ratepaying business worth supporting. I’d be more concerned about those leaving it having to cross the A259…
Actually, there ARE homes nearby. We live immediately opposite and regularly hear late night music and craic. Only on rare occasions is it a nuisance though, and we quite enjoy what the councillor refers to as an ‘Ibiza’ style local. It has a good vibe and gives people a lot of pleasure.
This is all completing us nonsense. It looks to me like a personal vendetta on the part of the counsellor, not a genuine concern. Over the years and there have been many musical events held in the park and at the Lido, for the Lido. With huge sound systems involved. Why were no Complaints made about the noise Any of these events?. Not that there should’ve been I’m just trying to make a point that this person has an issue with Whitecliffs for some reason.
‘Ibiza-style club’ isn’t the derogatory term they think it is. they clearly haven’t even been there. It’s home to some of the most expensive and exclusive dining establishments and hotels on the med. With club music. A business model we should be emulating, not deriding.
If businesses aren’t allowed to evolve they won’t survive the council should find a way to support them. They admit no one has returned noise diaries, definitively personal
Sounds like someone abusing their position of power.
Fingers crossed that the fair and right outcome comes from this and then the business gets left to grow.
I had always thought this place would be ridiculously hard to make money in unless the costs were virtually zero. The place may be busy for a few months per year but that’s not anywhere near enough in this day and age when doing business in retail or hospitality is incredibly difficult and expensive so good on them if they found a format that kept it busy throughout the year. Let’s hope a balance can be found that keeps it busy and successful year round but perhaps takes out some of the most egregious elements.
Sounds like NIMBYism to me. There are no houses nearby. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to stay open later. Bunch of killjoys if you ask me.
Saltdean has just four licensed venues and this is by far the best. Local councillors and residents should be encouraging growth of these businesses rather than trying to run them into the ground.
Councillor NIMBY moaning about nothing… It’s in a secluded spot under a cliff, who cares if it’s a bit noisy. Have any residents actually made a noise complaint or is it just a councillor abusing their powers?
It is laugable for people to accuse the Councillors of a ‘vendetta’ and ‘abuse of power’ when the Councillors know full well that they have to justify there reasons for asking for a licensing review and that those reasons will be published for all to see and that Ms Gilburt or her representative will be able to challenge them at the licensing committee meeting. A meeting that anyone can view online.
The committee papers are on the councils website
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=160&MId=11872
The councillors are just doing their job, and I’m glad. I used to walk along the Undercliff with my housemates each week and have a coffee and cake there befors heading home. We stopped because it was so noisy. Friends in Saltdean said it spoilt the experience of chilling on the beach. Maybe if the business sticks to the rules, they might make more money.
Sadly this has what this country has become.
The place is fantastic, I imagine this is the hairy ear brigade whose fun days are well behind them.