Market Diner aims to join Brighton’s late night drinks trade

The Market Diner in Brighton wants to set up a drink delivery business.

The all-night café in Circus Street has applied to sell alcohol for home delivery from 7.30pm to 6am seven days a week.

Sussex Police has objected and the matter will be decided on Thursday 28 June by a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel.

A report to the panel said that the diner currently had a late refreshment licence from 11pm to 5am every day but no licence to sell alcoholic drinks.

The applicant Khasan Karimov said that he did not wish to serve alcoholic drinks at the diner or operate it as a conventional off-licence.

Mr Karimov took over the business two years ago and leases the premises from the Ross family, who set up the Market Diner in 1975. The diner is famed for its gutbuster breakfasts.

His application said: “Our main customers are late night shift workers, students, taxi drivers, security staff and clubbers.

“I am applying not to sell alcohol in the premises but only for delivery.

“We will stock the alcohol in the secure locked store room and it will not be on display or be available to be purchased for takeaway.

“The intent to have consumption off the premises will not increase the existing low level of crime and disorder that the business currently enjoys.

“Delivery of alcohol is the sole objective of the application and consumption will be the responsibility of the customers once delivered to their home address.”

Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, the divisional commander for Brighton and Hove, sent a letter of objection to the council.

He believes that granting a licence could add to existing problems of public nuisance, disorder and crime in the centre of Brighton.

He said: “This would become another source of alcohol in an area already saturated with licensed premises.

“The concentration of licensed premises within this area of the city causes problems of anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder and public nuisance.

The Market Diner is in an area known as the “special stress area” where the council restricts new licences. It is yards from the “cumulative impact area” where the restrictions are even greater.

The council only grants off-licences, including for delivery services, in these two areas in exceptional circumstances.

Applicants have to show that they would not add to existing levels of crime and disorder, public nuisance and the cumulative impact of such a high concentration of licensed premises.

The licensing panel, which is open to the public, is due to meet at Brighton Town Hall at 10am on Thursday 28 June.