A Brighton seafront venue urged councillors to allow it to stay open until 3.30am at weekends at a licensing panel hearing today (Wednesday 18 December).
If the licence is granted, the owner agreed that it would remain a performance-led venue, focused on live shows rather than just DJ sets.
Daltons, in Madeira Drive, Brighton, agreed a series of draft licence conditions, drawn up with Sussex Police, before the licensing panel hearing.
The licensing authorities were keen to forestall any risk of a future owner turning the venue, which has an outdoor terrace for 250 people, into a night club.
It was this concern that prompted an emphasis on live performance rather than DJ nights at the venue owned by Madeira Leisure, which also operates the seafront zipwire.
After talks with the police, a draft condition was proposed, restricting DJs to no more than 30 per cent of a day’s scheduled events. This would allow for sets between live acts and accommodate musicians who use DJs as part of their own performances.
But another sticking point remained with the police and Brighton and Hove City Council. The business wants a licence for off-sales, allowing customers to take away beer, cider and wine until 10pm in the summer and 8pm in the winter.
Sussex Police licensing officer Hannah Staplehurst said that the force was concerned about people becoming drunk and disorderly and the emergency services “being at the end of a drunk person’s aggression”.
She also said that the venue was on the beach and mentioned the Royal Life Saving Society’s “Don’t Drink and Drown” campaign when objecting to off-sales.
She said: “I have worked with the premises and believe the conditions agreed can go some way to mitigate risks and allow this premises to operate as a grassroots live music venue to the hours requested with the late-night refreshment addition too.
“I believe they go some way to protecting their customers, staff and members of the public.
“But I do ask you to consider the stance of Sussex Police for the off-sales aspect and refuse this as part of the application.”
Madeira Leisure’s solicitor Niall McCann, a partner at Keystone Law, said that Daltons could currently sell alcohol to customers leaving the premises until 11pm under post-covid rules that remain valid until March.
Mr McCann said: “Since covid, with deregulation, we’ve been offering off-sales for the last four years and we’re not aware of any concerns or complaints or incidents that have come from those off-sales.
“Those off-sales are until the end of March next year. They might be extended. I suspect with the state of hospitality they may be extended. They’ve been extended before.
“What we’re looking at is some certainty. We don’t want to be nervously biting our nails next March or next February for them to be extended.”
Licensed venues with security are the way forward. The issue i find is all the late shops serving alcohol.