Traces of the illegal drugs have been found across Karen’s Diner in Brighton Marina including on customer tables, the kitchen pass and the baby changer.
The discovery from a licensing visit comes after the Brighton Marina restaurant was slammed for giving a nine-year-old child a hat saying that she “should have been a bl*w j*b”.
A spokesman for the restaurant said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the findings and that they were investigating the franchise.
A report from Sussex Police’s licensing team found varying levels of the drugs in swab tests across the restaurant.
Particularly high levels of cocaine were found across the disabled toilet, including on the baby changer, bin, hand dryer and toilet roll holder.
Karen’s Diner (Image: The Argus)
An explanatory note on the report said that the high levels of the drugs were “not generally experienced in any other environment than somewhere that has been in direct contact with a bulk amount of the source narcotic”.
Lower levels of various drugs were found across the restaurant. These include heroin on the kitchen pass, ketamine and MDMA in the ladies’ toilet and more cocaine on the reception desk and on a customer table.
Other findings in the report also show that the CCTV box had allegedly been removed and that there was no hard drive in the CCTV room.
Vincent Lam, of the Sussex Police licensing and operations division, said in a letter to Karen’s Diner that the force was “disappointed by the drug reading results, especially when the premises is open to families and is a restaurant”.
A spokeswoman for the force added: “Sussex Police’s Licensing Team have a responsibility to ensure premises are adhering to their licensing conditions and to ensure the public is safeguarded from any harm.
Cocaine (Image: The Argus)
“An investigation into whether there has been a breach of premises licence conditions has now concluded and a recommendation has been made to Brighton and Hove City Council for their consideration.”
The discovery of the drugs comes after The Argus revealed that a nine-year-old girl was given a paper hat at the restaurant saying that she “should have been a bl*w j*b”.
The restaurant sells itself as being an entertainment experience where customers are ridiculed while dining.
Ashley Lambert, who visited the restaurant with her family, said her daughter was also asked if she knew what a bl*w j*b was and told “she could watch porn and tell her friends at school that she knows what a bl*w j*b is”.
A spokesman for Karen’s Diner previously said that the employee responsible would not be offered employment anymore.
When approached for comment about the report’s findings, a spokesman said: “Karen’s Diner does not condone any illegality or offence to public or customers in any of our franchises.
“Our franchises are intended to be tongue-in-cheek fun without causing offence. We are shocked and disappointed by the recent findings of Brighton and Hove Licensing Unit.
“We wish to reassure the public that we are investigating the franchise rigorously and we will take all necessary action.”
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