A café is likely to close earlier, keep the volume down and focus on food rather than drink if it keeps its premises licence after a formal review.
The Whitecliffs café, in Marine Drive, Saltdean, faced the possibility of losing its licence after numerous complaints.
The owner Julie-Anne Gilburt, also known as Julie-Anne Honeysett, reached out to customers and locals online and has received a strong show of support.
And even the councillors who shared the complaints made by the people they represent have said that they want the business to thrive responsibly.
Today (Friday 6 December), one of those councillors, Brighton and Hove Independent Bridget Fishleigh, supported a proposal by Ms Gilburt to close earlier.
Councillor Fishlieigh, who represents Rottingdean and West Saltdean ward, had called for the licence review after receiving several complaints about noise from neighbours.
A review can result in a venue losing its licence, having it suspended or having extra conditions placed on it by a council licensing panel.
Councillor Fishlieigh said in the review application that the venue in Marine Drive had applied to extend its opening hours beyond 10pm in 2018 so that it could host more wedding receptions and functions.
But it appeared to be staying open late for general drink-led music events, leading to complaints about noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
Currently, the café is licensed to sell alcohol from Monday to Thursday from noon to 1am and from Friday to Sunday from noon to 3am.
At the licensing panel hearing today, Councillor Fishleigh welcomed Ms Gilburt’s plans to close earlier, saying: “I welcome the recent changes the owner has made and her taking a more active role in day-to-day management.
“They are offering to this meeting 1am (closing) at weekends instead of 3am and I think that is acceptable.”
She called for a relaxation of conditions on the licence restricting people to having alcohol served at tables and favoured allowing people to get through children’s parties with a glass of wine.
Councillor Fishleigh prompted the review after being made aware of licensing breaches and having received numerous complaints from people by email and even in the street.
Complaints included late-night noise from the venue, noise from drunk customers leaving to get to their cars or taxis and sound travelling to the beach.
Her fellow Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Mark Earthey, who also represents the ward, said that he had been approached by people while walking along the undercliff.
Ms Gilburt, 52, said that she took over responsibility for the venue on Thursday 3 October, two weeks before the request for a review went in to Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team.
She said that her focus was on a food-led venue and she preferred a “carriages at midnight” approach for weddings and parties.
Ms Gilburt said: “Nobody wants a review. However, having one is a blessing in disguise because it’s given us structure and deadlines.
“We’ve done a whole list and have a to-do list that’s still going, of staff training and lots of different things in relation to the running of Whitecliffs.
“We’ve got a different business model that we’re working on and we are pretty much blown away by the encouragement we’ve had on social media.
“You can be slaughtered by social media. However, we have been in touch with our local community, being quite brave and asking for feedback, and we’ve had a colossal amount.”
She said that currently she did not have control of the Whitecliffs website so the promotions were still for music events rather than food-focused events.
She said that, after hiring a new kitchen team led by a Michelin-starred chef, the business’s social media did have a focus on the food side.
Independent environmental health officer David Monk, who has worked with Ms Gilburt on sound management, gave evidence to the panel – councillors Samer Bagaeen, Julie Cattell and John Hewitt.
He showed the panel an example of the new small speakers at Whitecliffs which will “burn out” if the sound is too loud.
Councillor Cattell, who chaired the hearing, said: “There are some issues and not everybody is going to be 100 per cent happy.
“We’ve had the chance now to iron things out and get conditions in place, if we are minded to grant this, that will resolve the problems moving forward.”
The council licensing team suggested conditions that included fitting a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system in line with current licensing standards.
The panel retired to make its decision which should be made public within five working days.
