Fish and Chips, Preston Street, Brighton, 5am bid rejected

Abbanoub Salama, who owns Fish and Chips, in Preston Street, Brighton, served a number of “temporary event notices” (TENs) on Brighton and Hove City Council.

Mr Salama told a council licensing panel that his aim was to prove that his takeaway would not add to drink-related crime and disorder in the area.

But Sussex Police objected to his proposal, saying that Preston Street was in an area “saturated” with licensed premises which had been designated a “cumulative impact zone”.

• READ MORE: Takeaway boss fighting to keep his fish and chip shop open until 5am at weekends

As a result, the area was subject to tighter rules governing licences for pubs, clubs and late-night takeaways aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour, noise and nuisance.

And Mr Salama’s premises had already had an application to stay open into the early hours of the morning turned down by the council.

Sussex Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood told the licensing panel, made up of three councillors, that it was rare for the force to oppose a temporary event notice.

He said that they were often used by those organising small-scale community events or to allow an existing licensed business to extend its hours for a special occasion.

Mr Salama’s solicitor Nicholas Perkins said that the TENs were not intended to “get around” the takeaway’s failed attempt to extend its hours in April.

Mr Perkins told the panel last week that the aim was to show that opening until 5am would not have an “adverse effect” on the area.

• READ MORE: Drinks licence opposed as chippy is in area ranked highest for crime and disorder

He said: “The terrible problems in this area are caused by alcohol, not fish and chips.”

The panel of three councillors – Lizzie Deane, Jackie O’Quinn and Carol Theobald – said: “The panel considers that the provision of takeaway food until the early hours at these times will have the likely effect of hindering dispersal in this challenging area, thus increasing the risk and the likelihood of crime and disorder and public nuisance.

“It will also put pressure upon police and other resources.

“The panel is further concerned about the use of neighbouring public spaces including the beach and residential squares into the early hours by groups who may congregate there to eat takeaway food having already consumed alcohol and thus lingering longer in the vicinity.”