Eastbourne fast food restaurant seeking late night licence

On Tuesday (March 16), an Eastbourne Borough Council licensing panel is set to consider an application from Chef H, a fast food restaurant in Langney Road.

The restaurant is seeking permission to serve food until 4am, Monday to Saturday as well as to serve alcohol until 11pm each day. 

The application, however, has seen a number of objections, including some from local residents as well as Sussex Police and the council’s own specialist licensing team.

The objections from police and the council are due to the restaurant falling within the town’s Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), in which applicants need to show their licence will not add to existing pressures.

Inspector Rob Lovell of Sussex Police licensing said: “Although the applicant has offered a number of conditions, Sussex Police do not believe these go far enough to help mitigate any potential risk in what is already a very busy area of Eastbourne.

“On January 26, Sussex Police Licensing contacted Euro Safety, who are the agents acting on behalf of the applicant. They were made aware of our concerns about the premises operating times and how they have not provided enough evidence of how the premises will promote the four licensing objectives.

“The agent said he had partially read the Eastbourne Borough Council statement of licensing but when questioned did not know anything about the Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP). 

“It was explained how they needed to provide details of how the premises will not negatively impact one or more of the four licensing objectives.

“The agent’s response was to ask for police to provide them with conditions and they will agree to them. This response does not provide Sussex Police with confidence that this premises will be managed efficiently.”

Inspector Lovell goes on to say another late night premises would have a detrimental impact on the area and argues the application should be refused. 

Similar concerns have also been raised by the council’s specialist licensing advisor.

Despite these objections, the decision will be up to the licensing panel, which will hear from all parties at a hearing on Tuesday (March 16). 

The panel can decide whether to impose additional conditions on the licence, accept it as proposed or refuse it outright.