A new Brighton deli can sell alcohol after it was granted a drinks licence by a panel of councillors.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team objected to Wm Group Ltd’s plans to offer alcohol with food – and off-sales – from the premises at 1 Surrey Street. A neighbour also objected.
The licensing team said that the Surrey Street premises was in the busy centre of Brighton which was already saturated with licensed businesses.
The high levels of drink-related crime and disorder prompted the council to make the process of obtaining a new licence more rigorous.
Even so, 10 neighbours supported the application, with two speaking at a council licensing panel hearing on Monday 15 September.
The business, based in the former Grocer and Grain shop, on the corner of Upper Gloucester Road, can now sell a limited selection of alcohol to people on the premises.
Off-sales are also permitted and the licensed hours run from noon to 10pm from Sunday to Thursday and from noon to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
The owners, Nick Moseby and Luke Williams, both 33, agreed draft licence conditions with Sussex Police before the hearing.
The restrictions, approved by councillors, limit off-sales to craft beer from independent producers from the south east of England and wine produced by independent outlets.
The licence also limits the offer to two types each of white, orange, red, rosé and sparkling wines.
Customers must be served at tables and substantial food must be available when alcohol is available for sale.
The panel that approved the licence consisted of three councillors – John Hewitt, Paul Nann and Ollie Sykes.
The council decision letter said that the panel considered the type of premises to be exceptional and “not likely to add to negative cumulative impact”.
It said that “the off-licence element is certainly unique, offering premium limited products”, justifying a departure from the usual restrictive approach.
The council added: “This is a small specialist, café-type premises with experienced applicants who had agreed a robust set of conditions with the police which would promote the licensing objectives.”
