RESIDENTS have criticised plans to allow a coffee shop to serve alcohol over fears it will keep neighbours up at night.

Pelicano in Sydney Street, Brighton, will turn into a restaurant serving Korean burgers and pizza with alcohol until 11pm each day if agreed by councillors.

Lizzie Deane, councillor for the North Laine ward, said residents feared their children would be kept up at night by the extended opening hours.

Speaking at the licensing hearing at Hove Town Hall, Cllr Deane, said: “People in North Laine have suffered terribly from the influx of premises selling alcohol.

“There are 70 outlets in the tiny area and it’s awash with the disturbance that comes with it.

“I ask the panel to look at the hours, as people live in flats above the shops in the road and they want to get to sleep.”

The North Laine Community Association (NLCA) also made a written representation to the council about the impact on residents.

Members Sandy Crowhurst and Roy Skam said selling drink would be “unacceptable” because it would mean noise from the back of the premises would “infiltrate” nearby homes above shops and in Trafalgar Mews.

The letter said: “Since the introduction of flexible opening hours in 2003, North Laine residents have had to put up with increased levels of noise from drinkers during the day and late at night, plus increased levels of anti social behaviour and vandalism.”

But Pelicano owner Zephir Thomas said the restaurant would fill a gap in the market on the street.

He said he had received support from a number of customers who live in the area.

According to the plans, Pelicano would accommodate 40 diners with seating for ten customers in the back garden and ten at the front.

It had originally been for the coffee shop to become a bar in the evenings, but the plan changed to be a restaurant to satisfy concerns by Sussex Police.

Each customer would have to eat sit-down meals to purchase alcohol.

No one would be allowed to stand and drink.

Mr Thomas said: “The restaurant will serve pizzas and Korean burgers – they are very popular in Australia at the minute.

“There is a void in Sydney Street for places to eat after 7pm.”

Craft beers and wines would be served alongside food and Pelicano would continue to operate as coffee shop in the daytime, Mr Thomas said.

His application, comes after a failed bid to turn Pelicano into a cocktail bar.

But councillors on the licensing committee were concerned that the owner did not have a menu prepared and did not feel the need to consult with residents.

The committee adjourned to decide whether to grant the alcohol licence.

The verdict will be announced on Monday