Neighbours oppose Greek restaurant’s bid to sell alcohol

A new Greek restaurant is facing opposition from its neighbours over its bid to sell alcohol.

Real Greek Gyros in St James’s Street, Brighton, opened last December.

It has knocked through the former Mac Doner and Cafe Bean units – for which it has applied for retrospective planning permission.

People living nearby were already annoyed it has been using a patio outside, which they say also does not yet have permission.

Now, three people have written to formally oppose its bid to sell alcohol from noon-11.30pm Monday to Saturday and noon to 10.30pm on Sunday.

Due to the opposition, the decision whether or not to grant will now be made by a licencing panel of three Brighon and Hove city councillors at a virtual hearing on Friday 4 March.

Neighbours have raised concerns about noise, parking and the planning application.

Although the planning is not relevant to the application, possible public nuisance is.

One neighbour, whose details are removed on the council website, said: “Charles Street is a close community of residents who should be able to enjoy their homes without the constant disruption and disturbance of parked cars, impassable road, and late-night noise.

“The granting of an alcohol license to a business who have already carried out works without permission would only exasperate this problem.”

Another neighbour said: “They are trying to get a late licence for alcohol when there are many residential properties in close proximity, and there are known issues with drinking on St James Street already.

“The owners are allowing people to use the illegal patio area late at night which is causing significant distress due to noise created to the neighbouring properties.”

The licensing application has been made by designated premises supervisor Karwan Abba, who would have day-to-day responsibility for alcohol sales,

The business is owned by Jowanro Aubid, 30, and Emri Voja, 36, who submitted the separate planning application.

Sussex Police licensing officer Claire Abdelkader did not oppose the licensing application but tightened up a proposed condition that alcohol is served by waiter/waitress service to people sitting at tables with a meal, and no standing at the bar.

The owner’s agent Derya Yilmaz has already agreed to the condition, stating the owner intended to restrict alcohol to table service only.

The virtual licensing panel hearing is scheduled for webcast from 10am on Friday 4 March on the city council website.