The council has granted itself a month-long drinks licence for Victoria Gardens, Brighton, after the only objection was withdrawn.
Brighton and Hove City Council applied for a seasonal variation to the alcohol licence for the area for the duration of the Brighton Festival and Fringe, from the last weekend in April to the first weekend in June.
A licensing panel hearing was scheduled for Tuesday 3 February but was cancelled after the solitary objection was withdrawn.
The council said: “Following contact with the (council’s) events team, that representation was subsequently withdrawn.
“So, in line with the statutory provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 in the absence of any representations, the application has been granted without the need for a hearing to be held.”
The licence permits the sale of alcohol from 10am to 11pm daily, with entertainment permitted during the same hours.
The site is also covered by a late-night refreshment licence, permitting hot food and drink sales from 11pm to 12.30am from Sunday to Wednesday and from 11pm to 2am from Thursday to Saturday.
The southern part of Victoria Gardens is expected to host a Spiegelgarden-style event this summer in place of the Ladyboys of Bangkok.
The Ladyboys plan to put on their show in Preston Park from Saturday 9 May to Sunday 31 May.
Neighbours living near the northern half of Victoria Gardens raised concerns about noise from a beer garden which pitched up a few metres from their front doors last May.
During regular community outreach meetings, residents told council representatives that the area was not a suitable place for such an event.
Last year, a High Court judge ruled that there was a 28-day limit on using public spaces for events without planning permission.
Last month, Labour councillor Birgit Miller, the council’s cabinet member for culture, said that the council was working with consultants on planning applications to allow events to be held on more than 28 days a year.
Another licensing panel has been provisionally scheduled for Friday 6 February to consider an application to allow drink sales in the area outside St Peter’s Church.
The hours in the application are from 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Wednesday and from 10am to 10.30pm from Thursday to Saturday.
Disgusting and shameful practice. The council granting the license to itself , ignoring residents and businesses. No transparency and no accountability
No transparency?
The application was advertised. And .a committee date set and added to the councils meeting. What more transparency do you want?
An Act of Parliament made local councils the licensing authority so whether you like it or not the legal processes were followed.
And as part of the process anyone could submit comments yet only one person did,
Perhaps if more people had done that the panel would have had to have met and objections heard.
Why didn’t you submit an objection?
I dont live in the area . The notices are on lampposts look like lost cat or Yoga class posters , why should anybody pay attention to them? The public notices in the press are hidden . none of the locals knew about the new license terms , even after going to engagement meetings it was never mentioned
But Mr Wright, you’ve been a vocal voice on protecting these green spaces for a long time, and you ran a petition. You’re entitled to put in your thoughts, especially if you have some policy-based objections.
And no doubt the space will be rented at cut price rates to someone’s chums (as usual)…..this council are becoming more sleazy with every passing day. They claim bankruptcy and then give our spaces away so private companies can make millions. We deserve better than this shower.
And as usual, you claim conspiracy without any evidence. Still waiting for you to provide a single instance of your libellous claims. It’s been over twelve months.
no one objected! everyone moan but why did they not object!
simple: nobody knew beforehand
it has been widely reported in the local press, including on this website, and someone called Derek has posted about it in about 20-30 facebook groups, so it is surprising that nobody knew about it, or even that Derek was so concerned about the matter that he had time to post in lots of facebook groups but did not object to the proposals himself!
Not sure if they thought it was worth objecting, and I wonder how the one objector was persuaded to withdraw their objection. Still if the council wants to spend money making good these sites for most of the year so be it. Looks like Preston Park will either be a muddy mess or a dust bowl through the summer.
I think you raise a fair point on mitigation. Even things like meshes can protect the ground somewhat, and I would hope these are stipulated as requirements for various events.
Voted for by all 3, me myself and I.