A bar can reopen under new management having been closed after a series of high drug readings.
Antidote, in Western Road, Hove, looked likely to lose its premises licence but decisive action by the freeholder earned a reprieve from a council licensing panel.
Sussex Police applied to Brighton and Hove City Council to revoke the drinks licence after officers found high readings of cocaine on four separate occasions from December 2021 to December last year.
When police applied for a formal review of the licence, a report said that readings taken at the venue indicated “bulk” amounts of cocaine were in contact with several surfaces there.
Before a formal hearing could be held, the premises owner Ritan Enterprises Limited terminated the bar’s lease.
Ritan director James Dyson, 60, took over the licence and told a council licensing panel in February that he was working with Hove-based Bar Logic to reopen the business under a new name.
Bar Logic is run by Alex Doukakis, the licensee at the Ralli Hall, a community centre in Denmark Villas, Hove. He also runs bars at events, including the Brighton Festival.
The panel hearing was adjourned to allow Mr Dyson to hold talks with Sussex Police.
The hearing was reconvened on Thursday 27 April after Sussex Police had negotiated draft new licence conditions with Mr Dyson.
These would require substantial hot food to be available at all times, with menus on display, as well as earlier closing.
The licensing hours were previously 10am to 2am daily but the proposal put to the panel was for 10am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, with the premises closing at 12.30am.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the premises would open at 10am, stop serving at 1am and close at 1.30am.
The night club style basement area would be used only for parties booked at least 72 hours in advance, with a record to be kept of those using the venue.
Once the venue was refurbished, the panel was told, it would have been closed for at least five months.
The licensing panel’s decision letter said:
“The main features of the proposal are reduced hours of operation, substantial food on the ground floor and use of the basement for pre-booked events only.
“Robust anti-drugs conditions including training are included – and measures to control noise at the premises.
“There is also a requirement for employment of an independent auditor to make unannounced visits to the premises to assess compliance with conditions.”
The proposed auditor, Doug Simmonds, is an experienced licensing consultant who was also present at the hearing.
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