Southsea Brunch Klub in Elm Grove makes major changes in a bid to continue operating

The owner of Southsea Brunch Klub has confirmed that the venue is appealing Portsmouth City Council's decision to revoke its licence after the police and some local residents said intoxicated customers were causing problems in the area.

Steve Hudson, owner of SBK which is continuing to operate during the appeal process, told The News he is dedicated to making changes to ensure that all of his staff receive further training in a bid to keep every customer and staff member safe.

He said: "Basically we are regenerating our licensing training for everybody so they can spot the signs of people that have had too much to drink, how to deal with them and how to keep them safe - so we aren't just putting people out on the streets so we are making sure they are looked after.

"We will make sure that we have SIA trained staff and we have organised Vespasian security to do a training course with our staff so that our staff can spot the signs of trouble and intervene before it gets to the point where people are throwing punches. We operate a Challenge 25 system so we will be refreshing everyone's knowledge on this."

Despite the Elm Grove venue being popular for brunch, Mr Hudson said it also serves some other tasty dishes including a Sunday roast which is a favourite amongst customers. There is also a range of non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails available and various menus to choose from which are not part of the brunch section.

There are also some changes being made to the opening times. Mr Hudson added: "We won't be trading until 2am, which we could do, so we will be closing early - we have already made adjustments to our sound and Environmental Health has given us the green light.

"We are going to continue our bottomless brunches. You get a cocktail or a glass of prosecco, once you have finished that we come over an refill it. We don't leave any jugs or bottles on tables so that gives us the chance to recognise whether that person has had too much and needs some water or a break."

The venue also hosts a range of events including the live lounge, jazz evenings and soul nights and the new measures that are being put in place are with a view of keeping everyone safe.

For more information about Southsea Brunch Klub, its menus and events, click here.