The Licensing Panel convened to consider an application for a new premises licence for BeerBelly, a proposed micropub and bottleshop on Victoria Terrace, Hove. The panel reviewed the application, representations from local residents and the Licensing Authority, and conditions agreed upon with Sussex Police, before resolving to approve the application.

BeerBelly Licensing Application

The panel considered an application for a new premises licence for BeerBelly Ltd, located at 15 Victoria Terrace, Hove, BN3 2WB. The applicant, BeerBelly Ltd, described their establishment as:

BeerBelly will be a Micropub & Bottleshop offering a selection of both local and international craft beer, handpicked wines and specialist spirits. The focus will be on allowing people to taste great quality products in a relaxed environment. Our stock will also be available for sale by retail off the premises.

The proposed hours for the supply of alcohol, both on and off the premises, were Monday to Saturday, 12:00 to 22:30, and Sunday, 12:00 to 22:00. The opening hours were proposed as Monday to Saturday, 12:00 to 23:00, and Sunday, 12:00 to 22:00.

The premises falls within the council's Special Stress Area (SSA), an area of special concern due to high levels of crime, disorder, and public nuisance. According to the council's Statement of Licensing Policy, businesses in the SSA are expected to demonstrate that their operations will not exacerbate existing problems.

Six representations were received, with one subsequently withdrawn after the applicant engaged with the resident to address their concerns. The remaining representations raised concerns regarding the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm.

Conditions had been agreed between Sussex Police and the applicant, detailed in Appendix C. These included stipulations such as:

• No sales of spirits or draft alcohol products 'off' the premises.
• No delivery service of alcohol 'off' the premises.
• Sales of alcohol for consumption 'off' the premises only in sealed containers.
• Restrictions on the sale of beer, lager, cider, or perry with an ABV¹ over 6%, with exceptions for premium, craft, or speciality brands.
• Storage of spirits behind the bar, out of public reach.
• A requirement that alcohol sold is not consumed in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
• The installation and maintenance of a CCTV system.
• The maintenance of an incident log.
• A Challenge 25 policy².
• Restrictions on entry for unaccompanied children or young persons under 18.

The applicant contacted local residents who made representations, as detailed in Appendix D, to address their concerns and find mutually agreeable solutions.

The Licensing Authority also submitted a representation, citing concerns that the premises is within the Special Stress Area. The Licensing Authority noted that the council's Statement of Licensing Policy includes a Matrix Model approach for licensing decisions, which recognises the diverse operation and different risks presented by different classes of licensed premises. The Licensing Authority invited the Sub-Committee Panel to decide the outcome of this application on behalf of the Licensing Authority and whether the applicant has demonstrated whether there are exceptional circumstances to depart from our policy.

The panel resolved to grant the application for the new premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 for BeerBelly.