A brewery has secured a licence to sell its products from a seafront shop.
Free Haus Ltd successfully applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a licence for a Brighton Bier gift shop between the i360 and the Rampion Visitor Centre, in King’s Road Arches.
During a licensing panel hearing on 16 February, company director Stephen Whitehurst, 48, explained the shop would sell Brighton Bier branded merchandise, including beer in gift sets and include an information hub for the brewery generally.
He confirmed no merchandise would be designed to appeal to children.
The company also plans to hold tasting sessions at the venue and agreed to accept limits of no more than two a month and a maximum of 18 during the year.
King’s Road Arches is within the city council’s cumulative impact zone (CIZ), where there are additional restrictions on new licences as the area is “saturated” with businesses selling alcohol.
However, a licensing panel can grant a licence with restrictions if the applicant can show exceptional circumstances.
In their decision, the panel of three city councillors – Lizzie Deane, Jackie O’Quinn and Dee Simson – restricted alcohol sales to Brighton Bier products only and a minimum two-can purchase.
Brighton Bier will have to limit any drinking on-site to pre-booked tasting events for a maximum of 12 people.
The panel said: “The panel agrees that as a mixed retail unit with the limited alcohol proposed for sale, the premises is not comparable to an off-licence in the usual sense and is therefore capable of being an exception to the policy.
“The panel was impressed by the responsible attitude of the applicants towards promoting the licensing objectives and was pleased, for instance, that they planned to liaise with beach cleaning groups to prevent litter in the area.”
Additional restrictions limit alcohol to no more than 20 per cent of the shop’s floor space and no beer on sale with an ABV of more than six per cent.
