Aldi has secured an alcohol licence in the nick of time for its new Hove store which is due to open this Thursday.
The application for the store at the old Homebase on Old Shoreham Road had to be heard before a panel of councillors after two neighbours objected.
It was due to be held last Tuesday, but technical issues with the virtual meeting’s web link meant it was put off until Thursday, 27 November – just a week before the opening day.
Brighton and Hove City Council usually takes five working days to publish licensing panel decisions, but agreed to announce this one sooner after workers were spotted stacking the store’s shelves with alcohol over the weekend.
Neither Sussex Police nor the council’s licensing department had opposed the application for alcohol sales from 7am to 11pm daily, which was reduced from the original plan for 6am to midnight.
Neighbour Carol Blakey was one of the two objectors who spoke at Thursday’s rescheduled meeting at Hove Town Hall.
She told the panel – councillors Julie Cattell, David McGregor and Tobias Sheard – there were issues with people loitering when the site housed Homebase – and the new store would have longer hours.
Outside lighting would also affect nearby homes because it would be on later into the evening.
Aldi’s lawyer Lisa Gilligan told the hearing the company had an “unblemished record” when dealing with under-age sales.
The company operates a Challenge 25 policy and staff training programme.
Ms Gilligan said: “We can track ourselves and if we have a store where perhaps members of staff fail that, we can act upon it without waiting for failure, perhaps in a council exercise or, indeed, in inverted commas, real life.
“So we’re adding that additional layer on top of that training. All of that refresher training is documented.”
In their decision, the councillors said Aldi had met Sussex Police’s requirements.
The panel said: “There is rigorous staff training with regard to Challenge 25 and other matters. Litter will be controlled and deliveries made within a reasonable time.
“The panel considers that the applicants will promote the licensing objectives and does not consider they are likely to be undermined.”
