A Hove restaurant owner has applied for a licence to trade until 4am at weekends and until 3am for the rest of the week.

Ahmad Faisal Nasseri, known as Faisal, runs Nawab, offering Afghan and Persian cuisine, in Western Road, Hove.

Mr Nasseri, 41, told a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel that he was not seeking a licence to sell alcohol.

But Sussex Police and the council licensing team objected to his application for a late-night refreshment licence – partly over concerns that people who had been drinking elsewhere would stay longer in a busy area.

Claire Abdelkader, from Sussex Police, said that more than 1,100 crimes were recorded within half a mile of the premises over the past year.

The vast majority were thefts or offences involving violence or breaches of public order – and between midnight and 1am was a peak period.

The council licensing team and the police said that the council’s own policy had identified the area as “saturated with licensed premises”, with each extra licensed business giving rise to a “cumulative impact”.

As a result, the council’s policy was not to grant new licences other than in exceptional circumstances or if an applicant could show that they would not add to the cumulative impact.

Emily Fountain, a council licensing official, said that the premises – previously a bar called Antidote – had a drinks licence which had been “reviewed”.

The police called for the review after saying that drugs tests indicated “bulk” amounts of cocaine were being used in several parts of the building by customers and staff.

A barrister told councillors that the premises had a “lengthy history” of serious drug problems dating back to when it was known as the Back Beat Bar.

The licensing panel heard yesterday (Wednesday 16 April) that Mr Nasseri had no links with the previous operators although the building is still owned by the same landlord, Ritan Enterprises Limited.

Mr Nasseri’s restaurant, which opens at midday daily, seats about 20 people and also sells food for takeaway and delivery. It has been running for about seven months without any problems.

Mr Nasseri said that he would be willing to accept a number of draft conditions attached to any licence such as to employ qualified and registered door staff late at night

He wanted customers to be able to eat in or buy takeaway meals until 1am and then sell only food for delivery until 3am or 4am. The police proposed a midnight cut-off time.

He was asked about a council proposal to make Western Road a red route and said that there was plenty of suitable parking close to the premises.