A York café’s plan to start serving alcohol has been challenged by police who are concerned it could encourage street drinking.
Snazzy Brew, near Bootham Bar on High Petergate, has applied for a licence to serve alcohol from 11am to 11pm daily.
Café owner Gevish Kheddo told YorkMix he wanted the licence to serve wine and cheese, and offer an alternative to pubs in the evening.
No one from the public has objected to his application for a licence.
Police want to impose 13 conditions on the licence, including the installation of colour CCTV, staff training, and food being available throughout Snazzy Brew’s opening hours.
But Mr Kheddo objected to one of these conditions, that “alcoholic drinks purchased on the premises may only be taken off the premises in sealed containers”.
Officers say that this condition is to “mitigate the risk of street drinking in and around the premises”.
In response, Mr Kheddo wrote: “I understand the concerns around street drinking, particularly in relation to High Petergate.
“However, given that no premises on this street are able to obtain a pavement licence due to the narrow layout, this significantly limits our ability to create a welcoming atmosphere for customers who enjoy premium drinks at Snazzy Brew…
“We believe that with clear signage and a firm commitment to responsible service, we can allow customers to purchase open containers for consumption in nearby social settings without compromising public safety.”
He said they would be open to discussing any additional safeguards.
However, police licensing officers say: “The applicant has not applied for an outside area so in effect they are wanting to sell alcohol in open containers for patrons to consume on the public highway in the vicinity.”
They say there have been six incidents at Snazzy Brew reported to the police since April, including damage to an A board, disruptive behaviour and abuse to staff.
“The incidents reported show that there is crime and anti social behaviour in the vicinity and at the premises and it is imperative to seek proportionate conditions if alcohol is to be introduced as a licensable activity at the location to mitigate risks associated with crime and disorder.”
Police add that if the café doesn’t sign up to all the conditions, they will ask that the application is refused.
Councillors will consider the licence application at the hearing at 3pm on Thursday, 24 October.
