Police and council officials have objected to an application for a drinks licence until midnight from a business in a “problem area”.
The Mona Lisa, in St James’s Street, currently has a late-night licence to serve food from Monday to Thursday until 1am the next morning. On Fridays and Saturday it can serve food until 3am the next morning and on Sundays until midnight.
Cem Ince submitted the application to serve drinks to customers who were seated and eating a meal at the premises, formerly a Grubbs burger bar and Lokum restaurant.
The objections from Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team mean that the application will be decided by a panel of three councillors on Thursday (25 January).
A report to councillors set out the objections. It said that Sussex Police gave St James’s Street “problem profile” status last year, with officers assigned to deal with issues linked to crime and alcohol.
Inspector Mark Redbourn said: “There are regular incidents occurring within the locality requiring police attendance.
“It is an area that attracts street drinking and drug-related offences and, while these incidents are spread throughout the day and into the early hours, they could have an impact on the type of business being considered.”
The council operates a tougher licensing policy for the area to try to reduce the amount of alcohol-linked crime, disorder and public nuisance.
Inspector Redbourn also had concerns about a potentially “split” operation – with the premises operating as a restaurant until midnight and as a takeaway into the early hours in line with the existing licence.
Council licensing officer Donna Lynsdale raised concerns about how yet another venue selling alcohol would affect the levels of crime, disorder and public nuisance in the St James’s Street area.
She said that the venue also carried out unauthorised licensable activities during Pride in 2022 without transferring the premises licence.
The police and council both cited an incident at 12.15am on Monday 1 January when, they alleged, the business broke its licence conditions, serving a customer when the premises should have shut at midnight.
Before submitting his application, Mr Ince consulted the council licensing team. He was advised that a restaurant would be acceptable but not with a late-night takeaway with the current hours.
The licensing panel hearing is due to start at 10am on Thursday (25 January). It is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
Booze Booze Booze and more Booze, sold in huge amounts by parts of our Society who do not drink Booze, get a grip council start serving the people who pay your wages
“Serving the people who pay your wages” that would make a refreshing change.