A business owner has failed in his bid to be able to sell alcohol at a former Post Office in Brighton.
Eyad Mwoas, 45, applied to Brighton and Hove City Council to sell alcohol from 8am to 11pm at 80 Islingword Road, Brighton, trading as Islingword Convenience.
Islingword Road is in an area of central Brighton already saturated with businesses selling alcohol and council policy is not to approve new off-licences in the area unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team objected to the application because of high crime and the saturation policy.
During a licensing panel hearing on Wednesday 29 April before three councillors – Julie Cattell, John Hewitt and Ivan Lyons – council licensing officer Donna Lynsdale said there had been an incident with security at Mr Mwoas’ business Pop In Shop in West Street.
She said that during a licensing visit, with police, in November 2024, Mr Mwoas’s West Street business was found in breach of conditions requiring two registered door staff to be on duty after 10pm at weekends.
Sussex Police licensing officer Hannah Staplehurst said that Mr Mwoas did not offer any unique reasons as to why he should have a new alcohol licence.
In their decision, the panel recognised Mr Mwoas’ willingness to limit alcohol sales until 10.30pm, and various conditions he was willing to include in the licence, including 5.5 per cent alcohol maximum strength, no single cans, alcohol labelling for traceability.
However, no exceptional reasons were given to depart from policy as the business is proposed to be a convenience store like many others in the area.
The council’s decision said: “The conditions proposed are not, the panel considers, exceptional in themselves.
“The area is saturated with licensed premises, and the panel shares the concerns of the responsible authorities that increasing the availability of alcohol in this area is likely to undermine the licensing objectives.”
Mr Mwoas can appeal the council’s decision.
