Intenso Espresso Bar on Portland Road can now serve alcohol with meals

Intenso Espresso Bar on Portland Road in Hove can now serve alcohol, but only with a meal. A council licensing panel heard the application on 25 September and granted the licence, as first reported by Brighton and Hove News in a local democracy report.

The same management plans to open in the evenings as a restaurant, serving tapas-style small plates. There are 30 tables, 10 or 12 of them outside, according to the hearing minutes.

Alcohol can be sold from 12.30pm to 10pm, and the premises must close by 11pm. The owner, Selina Simeonova Grigovova, had applied to sell alcohol from 10am to 10.30pm daily. She was willing to agree to the shorter hours. The panel also ruled that customers can’t use the outside seating after 9pm.

Drinks are served by waiting staff to people seated at tables and having a main meal. Hot and cold food has to be available whenever alcohol is on sale, with menus on display. There are no sales of alcohol off the premises, including by delivery. Any music played inside must be at background level.

Three neighbours objected, citing worries about noise, but none of them came to the hearing. In its decision letter, quoted by Brighton and Hove News⁵, the panel said this style of operation, “with all the conditions proposed, is not likely to have a detrimental effect on the area or undermine the licensing objectives.”

First reported by Brighton and Hove News, in a local democracy report.