A live entertainment venue has applied for a later licence but the police and licensing officials have objected.
Presuming Ed, in London Road, Brighton, was granted planning permission in June for a change of use to operate as a performance venue.
Now, the business owned by Richard Grills, 50, wants a licence that would permit performances between 8am and 1am daily.
It also wants a drinks licence from 10am to 1am daily, with off-sales from noon to 8pm – in line with the existing licence.
Presuming Ed’s existing licence, in place for 10 years, is for alcohol sales from 10am to midnight daily on the premises, with a matching “late night refreshment licence” to allow for food and drink sales, and for entertainment until 11pm.
But Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing policy currently restricts pub licences to 11pm and restaurants to midnight in normal circumstances.
As a result of the objections, the application is due to be decided by a council licensing panel made up of three councillors at a hearing on Friday 28 November.
The council’s licensing team said that the application should go before a panel because London Road was in an area covered by a more restrictive licensing policy.
A council licensing official, Sarah Cornell, said that there were concerns about the levels of crime, disorder and nuisance in the area.
Sussex Police asked for the application to go before a licensing panel as the original licence did in 2014.
Sergeant Mark Redbourn said: “Due to the fact that this premises licence was originally heard by a licensing panel to determine the exceptional circumstances and conditions, it is felt that this is appropriate again in the light of the changes that are being applied for.
“While the applicant has included a large amount of extra information and additional conditions within their paperwork, due to the premises’ location, Sussex Police do not believe that this goes far enough to help mitigate the potential risk.”
Sergeant Redbourn said that concerns included the high level of violent crimes, sex offences and criminal damage in the area.
Mr Grills said that the venue already deployed at least two door staff on Friday and Saturday nights, adding: “The operator has compiled a dispersal policy and vulnerability and safeguarding policy.
“There is an extremely low incident rate over the last 10 years and the operator does not envisage this changing with trading an additional hour at the end of the day.”
Should the licence be granted, Mr Grills aims to run a mixed-use event space for creative businesses and a safe space for marginalised groups.
He plans to host events linked to the Brighton Festival and Fringe and short film festivals as well as pop-up kitchen events. He also hopes to create a venue hosting local bands and DJs.
Presuming Ed is a member of several creative organisations for poets, actors, film-makers and musicians including the Music Venue Alliance for Brighton, Music Venues Trusts and Brighton Fringe.
The council is in the process of changing its licensing policy to give greater leeway to “good operators” and allow later licences for grassroots music venues.
But the policy is not due to be ratified until a meeting of the full council on Thursday 18 December.
Presuming Ed has operated in the former HSBC bank building since 2015, with the café and bar on the ground floor and a 55-seat theatre space for comedy, live theatre and performing art shows on the first floor.
The licensing panel hearing is due to start at 10am on Friday 28 November and is scheduled to be webcast.
This is exactly what London road area needs at night . A pulse ! At present at night its just KFC and ugly vape shops so this would bring a welcome dynamic to a troubled area , as they say the more eyes on the street the better . The owner is switched on and knows the area well enough to know what hes dealing with.and we need more venues promoting and supporting the arts and music scene in Brighton ! Come on Brighton Council.. do it right this time.