Southsea restaurant denied licence to sell alcohol until 1am on weekends

The licensing sub-committee at Portsmouth City Council did however extend the current opening hours and the supply of alcohol hours at Becketts, in Southsea, after an application was submitted by owners Jason and Soraya Parker.

During the meeting a number of objections had been made by residents living near the Bellevue Terrace restaurant.

They feared noise from live music and people leaving late as well as drunken behaviour from people drinking until 1am.

After listening to submissions from both parties the committee, chaired by Councillor Hannah Hockaday, decided to extend the licensing activity hours but not to the times wanted by Mr and Mrs Parker. Becketts can now supply alcohol until 11pm Sundays to Thursdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The new licence will allow live music to be played until 11pm Sundays to Thursdays and until 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday.

Lingfield Court resident Mike Stone said: ‘These new hours are far better than the original application.

‘The committee have listened to the residents to a certain extent.’

Fellow resident Barbara Ford added: ‘If there is a single problem with the restaurant in terms of noise or drunken behaviour, then it will be reported.’

During the meeting, residents were upset the owners had not consulted them directly for the application and felt it was not properly advertised.

Andrew Parsons, of Bellevue Terrace, said: ‘It is very sad that Mr and Mrs Parker failed to be neighbourly and consult any neighbours in any way.

‘Sadly they have managed to upset and alienate all of their neighbours.’

Speaking on behalf of the Mr and Mrs Parker, their advocate said the application had been advertised to the requirements, which was agreed by council officer Derek Stone.

He also said residents’ concerns about noise were irrelevant as only one complaint had been made to the owners since they took over in January last year.

He added: ‘By extending the hours of selling alcohol the owners are not encouraging more drinking.

‘They simply want their customers to be able to eat and stay in the restaurant after 11pm.

‘Residents were concerned it will turn into a night club but that won’t happen, it’s main commercial use will be as it is now, a restaurant.’