A restaurant in Hastings has had its alcohol licence revoked by the local authority following a “major safety incident” that left multiple people requiring hospital treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.
The licensing subcommittee of Hastings Borough Council reached the decision on Wednesday 9 September 2026, following a review of the premises licence for Grand Pera. The council’s move to strip the venue of its licence comes after emergency services were called to the premises on 2 December 2025.
During that incident, 16 people were treated by paramedics for the effects of carbon monoxide, with seven individuals subsequently taken to hospital. Investigations by environmental health officers and the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service determined that the source of the leak was a petrol generator being operated in an internal corridor.
The hearing was told that the generator had been brought into the building to power refrigerators after the restaurant’s mains electricity supply was disconnected due to an unpaid bill totalling £66,000. Officials described the decision to run a petrol engine inside the premises as “inherently dangerous”.
Persistent breaches cited
In addition to the safety failings identified during the gas leak, licensing officers raised concerns regarding “persistent breaches” of existing licence conditions. These allegations included the unauthorised service of alcohol in an outdoor seating area that had not been approved for such use.
The restaurant’s owner, Mustafa Ergun, now has a statutory 21-day window from the date of formal notification to lodge an appeal against the revocation at a magistrates’ court.
Under licensing law, the restaurant is permitted to continue trading and selling alcohol during this 21-day period. If an appeal is formally lodged within the deadline, the revocation is stayed, allowing the business to continue operating under its current licence until the court proceedings have concluded.
If no appeal is submitted within the three-week timeframe, the licence will be permanently removed, and the sale of alcohol at the venue will become illegal. The subcommittee’s decision was based on the promotion of public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder.
