Appendix D

RE LICENSING APPLICATION NO 1445/3/2021/03104/LAPREN

From:

Redacted,

Redacted

I am writing on behalf of the local community of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), owners of the property in Ship Street, next door to the site of the proposed new restaurant which is the subject of the above application. We ask that you take into account our concerns about this application.

As Quakers, our form of worship depends on silence. We have been doing this in our building for more than two hundred years; it is a long-established place of worship and quiet reflection. Our tradition of worship consists of sitting together in silence to wait on the divine presence, so external noise is of particular concern to us. Our weekly Sunday worship takes place from 10.30 to 11.30 am.

Our Meeting House has a well-maintained garden, where, as part of our service to the community, we give expression to our values of peace, equality and support for the earth. It is a delightful, quiet green space in an area of the city where both quiet and green spaces are rare. It is used as a place for repose and reflection by many members of the public, from many different backgrounds. Small children can have space to move about safely there, with adult supervision. Our building is also a community hub, used for a variety of purposes by our hirers, who include Brighton Council as well as a wide range of community, charitable and professional groups. We have a flat attached to the building, which is the home of our resident Warden.

Our first concern about the above application is noise, which could be a public nuisance. The proposal is to play recorded music from 9 am to 10 pm, 6 days a week, and from 9 am to 9 pm on Sundays. The building in question shares a wall with our garden, and it could be very intrusive, both to people in the garden and in the building, to say nothing of the effect on our resident Warden. The noise would potentially intrude on the work of our hirers, many of whom are doing healing, therapeutic work, trainings, exams, performances and rehearsals for performances. They would be disturbed by constant loud music being played, especially in hot weather or under Covid security protocols when the windows are open.

We ask that if this application is approved, the noise level be kept down on weekdays, and no music be allowed until after midday on Sunday.

Our concern about noise includes the prospect of an extractor fan being installed on the wall at the back of the building, which overlooks our garden. We already suffer with noise intrusion from a similar device being used by the restaurant on the other side of the garden; the noise it makes and the smells from the restaurant kitchen intrude into the rooms of our building on that side, and into the garden, with consequent loss of amenity. We are currently in dialogue with them about this. The prospect of being assailed by similar noise and smells from the other side of our garden causes us dismay.

We ask that the applicants consult us if they intend to install the extractor fan, which they will need, on the wall adjoining our garden.

Our second concern is about the sale of alcohol. As Quakers we have a long tradition of not allowing alcohol on our premises. The initial application is for a restaurant, but once they have the licence we fear they might turn it into a pub. They propose to sell alcohol on 7 days a week, from 11 am to 10 pm Mondays to Saturdays and to 9 pm on Sundays. We have concerns about public nuisance: people leaving the premises late at night abusing our garden, making a noise to disturb the peace.

We ask that the sale of alcohol be restricted to after 11 am on weekdays, and after midday on Sundays.

The whole environment of the Meeting House is - and must be upheld as - one of peace and calm. We ask and sincerely hope that that this aspect be respected by the applicants. Please take these concerns into consideration in your decisions about whether to grant the license, and what conditions to impose.

Signed on Behalf of Redacted,

Redacted,

Redacted.

Redacted,

Redacted

(this is both the address of the property and the address to which correspondence on this matter should be sent).

13th October 2021