A café in Brighton has been granted a drinks licence despite objections from neighbours.
The Flour Pot Bakery can serve alcohol from 10am to 10pm every day at its new Fiveways premises in King’s Parade, Ditchling Road, on the corner of Hythe Road.
More than two dozen neighbours submitted objections after Flour Pot owner Jupiter Catering applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a premises licence.
But a council licensing panel, made up three councillors, also received a petition in favour of the application signed by 133 people.
Hythe Road resident John Griffin spoke for his neighbours at the licensing panel hearing on Thursday 17 March.
He said that neighbours were worried about the potential for drink-fuelled anti-social behaviour from the outdoor seated area in their street.
Flour Pot founder Oliver Hyde said that the business had had a similar operation in King’s Road Arches, on Brighton seafront, since 2016, where stricter rules govern the approval of new licences.
Mr Hyde said that he had also discussed his plans with Sussex Police who had agreed draft licence conditions with the business.
The panel said that they understood residents’ concerns about the hours of operation and potential noise from the outdoor area.
It said: “We recognise the need to ‘futureproof’ the licence to ensure that the premises cannot become a pub or off–licence.
“Were we to allow unlimited ‘off’ sales … there is a risk that the premises could become an off-licence so strict conditions to limit off sales are necessary.”
Alcohol will only be available to take away with a substantial food order.
The panel – councillors Clare Moonan, Anne Pissaridou and Dee Simson – also added conditions to limit noise and light disturbance and to close the outside area at 9pm.
After 7pm, the outside area can only be used by customers eating a meal served by waiting staff under “restaurant conditions”.
At other times, the indoor and outdoor areas would be covered by a “café-style” licence which would require substantial food to be available at all times.
Rubbish and recycling collections and deliveries are banned before 7am and after 7pm as part of the licence conditions.
And no lighting is permitted in the Hythe Road seated area nor can music be played outside.
You know what? I’m going to open a toy shop and then I’m going to apply for a drinks licence. Then I’m going to open a knitting pattern shop and apply for a drinks licence. Then I’m going to open a TV repair shop and apply for a drinks licence? Then a pet shop and I’m going to apply for a drinks licence!
Why not?
Every business seems to want to cater for people who can’t do without alcohol for a hour!
Makes me sick! What a town we’ve become! One giant off licence!!!
I liked this bakery but they’ve gone down in my estimation now!