Carbon monoxide leak may cost restaurant its licence

An East Sussex restaurant could lose its licence after a gas leak which saw 16 people from a nearby block of flats treated for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is set to consider a review application for the Grand Pera restaurant in Harold Place, Hastings, on 9 September as officers claim they have "no confidence" in the owner's ability to manage the premises.

Environmental health officer Sharon White said the leak in December was identified as coming from "a petrol generator located in a corridor" of the restaurant and "had the potential to result in fatalities".

The restaurant has been contacted for comment.

In a submission calling for the licence to be revoked, White said: "The act of operating a petrol generator indoors, particularly within an enclosed corridor, is an inherently dangerous practice.

"The event caused real harm, required a multi-agency emergency response, and had the potential to result in fatalities."

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said at the time residents were evacuated after "high levels of CO came from a diesel generator at a commercial premises" affected surrounding flats.

The council said that during a visit from officers, licence holder Mustafa Ergun said the generator had been "there to maintain power to the fridges when the mains power had been cut due to an unpaid electricity account".

Another alleged breach is linked to serving alcohol to customers sitting outside, which is not included in the restaurant's licence, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Officers said they had raised this matter with Ergun on several occasions, including in a final written warning in May.

Senior licensing officer Kirstie Rolfe said HBC had "no confidence in Mr Ergun's ability to manage the premises or adhere to the conditions of the premises licence".

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