Hove shop owner given second chance after licensing breaches

A Hove shop was caught selling alcohol to a 16-year-old, a licensing panel was told yesterday (Thursday 19 January).

The shop, which trades as Best One, in Hangleton Way, was also selling fake booze, and cigarettes and drink on which duty had not been paid.

The panel, made up of three members of Brighton and Hove City Council, gave a “yellow card” warning to the shop owner, Food and Beverage 4U.

Panel chairman Councillor Lynda Hyde said that further breaches could lead to the premises licence being revoked.

The panel, made up of Councillor Hyde, Councillor Sven Rufus and Councillor Penny Gilbey, heard that the shop, at 165-167 Hangleton Way, had a history of criminal activity.

They were told that this consisted of under-age sales and the sale of smuggled products. The case of the 16-year-old was a test purchase organised by the council’s trading standards team and Sussex Police.

The panel, however, took into account that there had been a change of ownership. Since the change, in June, there had been only minor breaches of the licensing conditions.

A hearing in August revoked the licence but the decision was set aside for reasons related to the change in ownership.