Eastbourne takeaway promises ‘new discipline’ after staying open too late

A premises licence review of the Best Kebab in Langney Road was triggered by Sussex Police after officers observed the business serving customers beyond its allowed 3am closing time on December 12, January 1, January 23 and January 27.

Eastbourne Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee was asked by the force to consider reducing the premises’ closing time to 2am and requiring SIA-trained door staff when it met on Thursday (April 7).

But councillors heard the takeaway was under new management and it suggested shutting at 2.45pm, but was happy to agree to a condition around door staff.

According to PC Daren Buck, the Best Kebab had become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour and public place violent crime.

After the nearby Cameo nightclub had closed at 3am, large crowds had formed outside the takeaway on several occasions.

One incident had seen a police officer assaulted leading to several arrests, whilst another time a police dog was brought in to disperse a ‘large and volatile crowd’.

PC Buck attributed some of these problems to the Best Kebab ‘breaching its premises licence’.

He described how on one occasion staff had turned its outside lights off and closed one of its doors, in an attempt to ‘mislead’ officers that it had closed at 3am despite continuing to serve customers inside.

A representative for the new premises licence holder Heman Rasul, who already runs an off licence in Hampden Park, suggested the business had stayed open after 3am ‘not to make money but to keep customers happy’ some of whom were ‘drunk and aggressive’.

But they described the review as a ‘wake up call’ and did not dispute the ‘problems of the past’, but believed steps had already been taken to prevent the issues happening again, including the new management.

They asked the new regime be given an opportunity to demonstrate it can comply with the licence’s requirements, adding: “Over the last few weeks there is a new discipline.”

A decision by the sub-committee is expected within the next week.