A SPECIALIST grocer seeking a drinks licence for a previously troubled premises said sales of alcohol would account for only a small part of his trade.

Rigobel Fokou, a director of R and A Global in Preston Road, Brighton, wants to sell alcohol from 9am to 11pm daily as part of a specialist offering for the African and Caribbean community.

He and his wife Keubeng Tatsa already have a drinks licence for a nearby premises, Afrika Mart in Preston Road, but want to merge their shops on to the larger site.

But the road is in a busy area where Brighton and Hove City Council has tougher rules on new licensed premises because of concerns about drink-related crime.

A previous trader at the site lost the licence in 2018 after a long history of licensing conditions being breached. The shop also failed test purchases by under-age customers.

At least three other licence applications for the premises have been refused or withdrawn because of its troubled history when it was known as International Food and Wine. In October 2020, when it was trading as A Nifty Store, illicit cigarettes were found on sale.

These historical issues and the council’s licensing policy formed the essence of objections from Sussex Police and the council’s licensing team at a council licensing panel hearing.

The Argus: R and A Global Store is in an area of the city with tough restrictions on the sale of alcoholR and A Global Store is in an area of the city with tough restrictions on the sale of alcohol

The panel was concerned that if Mr Fokou was granted a licence for R and A Global, he could effectively turn the current Afrika Mart shop into an off-licence. Alternatively, he could sell the lease so another trader could open an off-licence there.

Mr Fokou has run Afrika Mart without incident for the past 11 years. He told the panel he would consider giving up the licence for the other shop if he was granted this licence.

He said: “The fact I’m being linked to the previous owner is really unfair to me. I am my own person. I manage my own business.”

Panel members Councillor Anne Pissaridou said: “We’re in no way demeaning your character. What we’re looking at is how a licensed off-licence in this area will exacerbate or not the current conditions.”

Mr Fokou’s solicitor Winston Brown said R and A Global was not the type of shop to attract passing trade but a food store focusing on Caribbean and African customers.

Mr Fokou said if he could not offer African and Caribbean alcohol, his business might not be viable because people would go elsewhere.

The decision will be made public this week.