A seafront café has sought to reassure neighbours that it has no plans to become a bar.
The fears arose after the Meeting Place Café, in King’s Esplanade, Hove, applied for a licence variation that prompted dozens of objections.
The business originally applied to Brighton and Hove City Council to vary its existing licence to allow for off-sales and for customers to stand and drink.
The application prompted 24 objections from neighbours and one from Green councillor Ollie Sykes, who represents Brunswick and Adelaide ward. It has since been amended.
And today (Friday 13 June) a neighbour who had initially objected to the proposed changes withdrew her opposition at a licensing panel hearing after learning that there would be no “off-sales”.
The changes followed discussions with Sussex Police and the council licensing team. The business owned by Bulent Ekinci, 50, agreed draft conditions to restrict alcohol sales to people sitting at tables only.
Substantial food and non-alcoholic drinks would also have be available at all times, with menus on display. And alternatives to glass would have to be used in outside areas.
At the licensing panel hearing today, the panel heard that five neighbours had withdrawn their objections – and resident Jo Hammond, who attended the meeting, withdrew her objection after hearing the details.
Hikmet Tabak, 63, who runs the café and is the designated premises supervisor who has day-to-day responsibility for alcohol sales, said that they had listened to neighbours and the police.
He said: “There were concerns about anti-social behaviour and people walking off with drinks. This no longer applies. The café is not becoming a bar.
“There is no late-night licence, no regulated entertainment and alcohol will only be served in a food-led setting during limited hours.
“Concerns about safety, litter and nuisance are understandable but the revised licence and agreed conditions ensure those issues are tightly controlled.”
Mr Tabak said that since the new building had opened, with a “soft launch” last month, it had not stayed open in the evening yet.
This was in spite of permitted opening hours of 6.30am to 11.30pm daily to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a licence to serve alcohol from 10am to 10.30pm daily.
Labour councillor Tobias Sheared asked about the variation to allow the sale of cocktails, pitchers and larger measures. Mr Tabak said that the company wanted to retain some flexibility in what they could serve to customers.
The measures are set by law and the panel was told that a venue was required to offer smaller measures such as half pints and small glasses of wine as well as measuring spirits by 25ml and 35ml.
As long as those measures were available then cocktails and pitcheres could be sold, the hearing was told.
The panel – Councillor Sheard and fellow Labour councillors Julie Cattell and David McGregor – retired to make their decision which should be made public within five working days.
Alcohol at 10am? Why? It reminds me of an occasion, a few years ago, in George Street when I saw a lone, clearly alcoholic man, at about 10: am nursing a tall pint or bigger than pint glass of beer – nothing else just that. It was a sad sight.
It will be a bar.
Bit late now. When are the ugly container units next to the new premises which they used as a temporary premises disappearing? Or are they set to become a permanent eyesore too?
Glass chandeliers in a beachside cafe????
The interior is ghastly!!! What a shame…. Such a wonderful opportunity for the designers to connect it to where it is and why it’s there….. “By the sea…..”….