THE owner of a non-license wishes to open a branch at Brighton station instead of a card shop which has closed.
But a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing official opposed Louise Oliver’s request to open a Seven Cellars branch at the station.
Licensing Officer Sarah Cornell said the station was in an area of Brighton where council policy restricted new unlicensed licenses due to crime concerns and alcohol-related disorders.
Thus, the council held an authorization panel hearing where three councilors were asked to decide whether the circumstances warranted making an exception to the policy.
The meeting took place virtually on Friday morning.
A technical issue with the council’s webcasting system resulted in only the last 10 minutes of the meeting being held in public.
Ms Oliver told the licensing panel that she had been in contact with Sussex Police and UK Transport Police (BTP) about her application.
She was an experienced license holder and had agreed on provisional license terms with Sussex Police which she hoped would be acceptable to the council.
She already runs the unlicensed Seven Cellars at Dyke Road Brighton, at Seven Dials.
Ms Oliver said the station’s Marks and Spencer convenience store was already operating there as off license.
There is already a Seven Cellars off-license on Dyke Road
She said: “It’s a different offer (but) they don’t seem to have any additional mishaps due to being there.”
Construction and station security personnel were often visibly present, she said, while station operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) backed the company.
Sarah Cornell said she opposed the request because it went against council policy.
She said she had “no major concerns” about the application, but that it would be up to the panel to decide whether or not to grant a new space license for the old Cards Galore unit next to Superdrug.
A report to the advisers said: “It is intended to be an upscale fine wine store with high value fine wines, craft beers and craft spirits and it will be sensitively displayed with wooden shelves and refrigerators. of superior quality.”
Ms Oliver plans to have a range that includes local wines, beers and spirits, with good quality wooden shelves.
The unit would be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, starting from a date yet to be set in the fall, subject to authorization being granted.
The authorization panel has withdrawn to review its decision which is expected to be made public within five working days.
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-08-29 10:24:15
