The stakes are high for people living close to Dracula’s House, with complaints including sleep loss because of night-time screaming.
The moans followed an off-licence application by the premises newly renamed Dracula’s House, in London Road, Brighton, formerly an Indian restaurant known as Eastern Eye.
The application seeks a licence for off-sales from 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 6pm on Sundays.
Brighton and Hove City Council received 13 objections from neighbours and one from Green councillor Sue Shanks, who represents West Hill and North Laine ward.
As a result, the application to sell alcohol is due to be decided by a licensing panel made up of three councillors at a hearing on Wednesday 14 May.
Councillor Shanks objected on the grounds of public nuisance and the potential for crime and disorder.
A resident, whose details were redacted by the council, complained about people urinating outside their home and leaving broken beer bottles in the street.
The anonymous objector said: “London Road is severely affected by street drinking and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.
“People shout and scream under the influence of alcohol, disturbing my sleep. It is not as safe as it was when I first moved here seven years ago.”
Another anonymous objector, whose details were also redacted, said: “In London Road there are three supermarkets and several retail stores already selling alcohol which has a huge impact on the street drinkers along London Road.
“I personally think granting another off-licence to a premises right beside a bus stop will have a great effect on waiting passengers and increase public crime and nuisance on the London Road community which is already in a severe stress zone.”
Sussex Police did not object to the application after agreeing a number of draft conditions with the business.
The draft licence conditions include a requirement that 80 per cent of the alcohol on sale should be of Romanian origin and all alcohol must be behind the serving till.
Spirits would not be sold in measures of 35cl or less and no advertising of alcohol sales is permitted outside the business.
The premises is in a part of Brighton that is considered to be saturated with licensed premises – where council policy generally restricts the granting of new licences unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Whether an exception can be made is due to be decided at a panel hearing starting at 10am on Wednesday 14 May. The hearing is scheduled to be webcast.
London Road homes several high-risk commissioned supported accommodation projects along the side roads as well. I don’t see this being suitable for licensing, like the article says, its a saturated area, and there are no exceptional circumstances I can think of.
Fangs, but no fangs.
Given the early closure – 9pm and 6pm on Sundays – I don’t see this adding to issues late at night.
The condition about the % of Romanian products will likely limit the street drinkers using it as a place to buy their supplies.
9pm-6pm ?
I mean I doubt the Council will really care, hardly late 9am-6pm
And they will once hopefully move away from the Area-but there is a problem in the Area and crowds all build up, not the the Local Bobby is around to help out, bet they don’t want all this going on all the time.
Should shut down all the off-licences down there really