Brighton station curry kiosk gets OK to sell G&Ts

The Curry Leaf Café kiosk has been given permission to sell ready-to-drink G&Ts and Crooked Beverage Co branded drinks after a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel hearing.

Concerns had been raised about the licence application because Brighton Station is on the edge of the council’s ‘cumulative impact zone’ and within its ‘special stress area’.

They are intended to restrict the number of licensed premises in the centre of Brighton and Hove.

Originally Curry Leaf Café owner Euan Sey and operations director Stewart Cummings told the panel that they wanted to sell alcohol without food. They were told that they couldn’t.

Green councillor Lizzie Deane, who represents St Peter’s and North Laine ward, called for substantial food to be on sale with alcoholic drinks.

She said: “At the moment it can be just a samosa. I would like to see this promoted to a substantial meal starting at £7.95. That is what I would class as substantial food.”

Cllr Deane was particularly concerned about being drinking strong alcohol on an empty stomach.

Currently anyone who wants to buy a beer from the kiosk has to spent at least £1.50 on food.

The three-member panel agreed that customers would be required to have a ‘meaningful snack’ along with any alcoholic drink.

The ruling sent to Mr Sey and Mr Cumming said: “To maintain that objective, we believe that the minimum price should be reviewed annually and increased in line with the Consumer Prices Index.”

The Curry Leaf Café, which also runs restaurants in Kemp Town and The Lanes, already sells craft beers at the station kiosk.

The company is currently in talks with rail company Govia to open a second kiosk at Bognor Station.

Sarah Booker-Lewis is the Local Democracy Reporter for Brighton & Hove.

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