A Brighton restaurant owner has been granted a late-night licence for takeaway and deliveries until 3am.

Rafiullah Khan, who runs Zaf’ron, an Afghani and Persian halal restaurant and takeaway, in North Road, Brighton, faced objections to his licence application from Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council’s licensing team.

The business does not sell alcohol but does require a “late-night refreshment” licence to sell food and hot and cold drinks after 11pm.

At a licensing panel hearing on Thursday 20 August, Mr Khan said that he was responding to demand because his business catered for people who worked late-night shifts, including NHS workers, security staff and taxi drivers, who just wanted healthy fresh food.

READ MORE: Sadness as restaurant closes after seven years

Sussex Police said that officers had found the business trading after 11pm without a licence and the firm’s leaflets and Facebook page said that it was open until midnight.

But Mr Khan, 20, of Chelwood Close, Hollingbury, said that this was before he took over the business in January. He said that he did not have access to the Facebook account.

Staff were also seen cooking after 11pm during the Brighton Pride weekend this year but Mr Khan said that they were making themselves something to eat.

Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood was concerned about the prospect of more crime and anti-social behaviour resulting from the extra late-night footfall.

The council and police also said that the proposed hours did not comply with council licensing policies, not least in the busy centre of Brighton which was “saturated” with licensed premises.

But a council licensing panel, made up of three councillors, said that there were no other late-night takeaways in the immediate area in the North Laine.

The panel members, Councillors Ivan Lyons, David McGregor and Paul Nann, also noted that neighbours had not objected to the prospect of later hours.

In its decision letter, the council said: “We are particularly struck by the fact that there are no other late-night takeaways in the immediate area which is somewhat unusual.

“No residents have objected to the application and, apart from the out-of-hours trading, no crime has been associated with the premises.

“The application does not include the sale of alcohol. We found the director’s explanation of the late hours for the premises on Facebook credible.”

The business can now remain open until 3am daily for takeaway and deliveries only. It will be expected to stop serving customers dining in on the premises at 11pm.

Mr Khan said that he would use either his own staff or a delivery service such as Deliveroo or Uber Eats for this purpose for deliveries.

He is an SIA (Security Industry Authority) registered door supervisor and said that he intended to be at the business as much as possible and train his staff how to de-escalate any problem behaviour.

He also said that he planned to use a security company.