Row over late night takeaway on Lewes Road near The Level

Mama Pollo wants a late night refreshment licence for its new premises in Lewes Road, opposite the bottom of Elm Grove, but the police have reservations.

Franchise manager Noorullah Khan has applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a licence to serve food after 11pm six days a week.

Mr Khan wants to be able to make late-night deliveries from 11pm to 2am Monday to Thursday and from 11pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays. He would close at 11pm on Sundays.

Under the original application the takeaway would have served customers in person until midnight but Mr Khan appears willing to close at 11pm after negotiations.

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Currently the shop is open from noon each day and can seat 16 people inside.

The business is on the site of Kapadokya, a Turkish restaurant, which had a licence to serve alcohol and late night refreshments until it closed last year.

The premises are in an area designated a “special stress area” by the council where restrictions govern new licences because of concerns about crime and disorder.

Council policy restricts new takeaways to midnight unless the operator can show that exceptional circumstances apply.

Mama Pollo’s application said that on-site dining would be restricted to avoid problems related to crowd dispersal and anti-social behaviour.

The company also said that staying open later would enable it to support people who worked late into the night.

A Sussex Police licensing officer, whose details were redacted on the council’s website, raised concerns about people congregating in the area, particularly if they were heading home after a night out drinking in Brighton.

The takeaway is in St Peter’s and North Laine ward which was ranked highest for alcohol-related incidents and second highest for all other types of crime, the police said.

The force also had concerns about delivery drivers, saying said: “Due to its location close by the junction with Elm Grove and a pedestrian crossing, there are no parking facilities outside the premises. Not even loading or unloading permitted.

“There is also a cycle lane which would be blocked by any vehicles parking illegally there.

“Both of these points raise concern due to the wish to offer deliveries.”

A shop on Lewes Road was recently granted an amended licence after an application was challenged by police

Mr Khan’s licensing consultant, whose details were also redacted on the council website, said that delivery drivers would be directed to park safely and legally in nearby streets while awaiting food. This was proposed as a condition of the licence.

The licensing consultant said: “The applicant appreciates the location of the premises is along a very busy stretch of Lewes Road.

“In recognition of this, the applicant will only provide delivery service by employing their own drivers.”

A licensing panel made up of three councillors is scheduled to hear the application at 10am next Tuesday.