Gym complex’s opening hours to be extended

Councillors supported Alexander Hole’s application to open the gym from 5.30am Monday to Friday, 7am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday; to allow the café to open from 6am Monday to Friday, 7am on Saturday and 7am on Sundays; and to allow the sale of food and drink to be consumed off the premises at an Adur District Council planning meeting on Monday night.

Both the gym and café will close at 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30pm on Sundays and public holidays.

Councillors decided that Mr Hole would need to apply to the licensing committee in order to host private functions up until 1am on a maximum of 15 separate occasions throughout the year.

Angela Mills, of Brighton Road, Lancing, spoke against the proposal at the meeting inside the Adur Civic Centre.

She said: “I have historic knowledge of the past issues when it was Murphy’s Bar and before that when it was the Mermaid Café and amusement arcade. We had a great deal of anti-social behaviour.

“The distance from the car park is unsuitable. There’s lack of lighting. Who is going to be culpable for the accident liability insurance?

“We want to know who’s going to be responsible for broken glass and food debris. It could be a danger to dogs, dog walkers and other beach users.”

But Mr Hole said it was not his business’s intention to contribute to anti-social behaviour in the area.

“We have a completely vested interested in making sure the beach is kept clean and tidy and we will be employing staff to ensure that happens. We have no intention of getting anywhere near the number of issues raised in terms of glass outside and people defecating on the beach.

“We’re trying to pitch at people spending £20-£30 a head perhaps, and not pitching a bar selling cheap booze on the beach.”

He added that the late night license was applied for with events such as weddings in mind.

To combat poor lighting Mr Hole said lights would be erected on the northern aspect of the building.

Councillors praised Mr Hole’s venture, with councillor Brian Coomber saying he thought the proposal was ‘absolutely great’.

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