Neighbors fuming over Cornwall beach bar license bid

Residents of a west Cornwall coastal village have written to Cornwall Council with their concerns about a beach bar’s request to extend opening hours. They cited noise, anti-social behaviour, noise and a lack of public transport in the area among their opposition to the license application.

Welloe Rock Inn Limited has applied for a premises license for The Welloe at Sydney Cove, Praa Sands and has attempted to allay concerns with a list of measures it has taken and will implement. Devon and Cornwall Police have agreed amended terms with the bar to allow the license changes.

The bar/restaurant has applied for indoor and outdoor live and recorded music between the hours of 9am and 1.30am and the sale of alcohol between the hours of 9am and 1am, Monday to Sunday, with application to open between 9:00 and 1:30. Current opening hours are 11am to 2am and the current live music license is midday to 1am Monday to Friday and midday to midnight on Sundays.

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The council received 16 submissions from people against the application, including Porthleven, Breage and Germoe councilor John Keeling, on grounds of prevention of public nuisance, prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

Cllr Keeling said: “Late opening hours are not conducive to good behavior and the evidence of a previous extension of the permit program a few years ago showed that. The risk of drinking and driving would be a big temptation in this rural area. the lack of public transport would make way for people wandering around the village causing a public nuisance”.

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One of those who opposed the license told the council: “I am concerned that large numbers of people leaving a licensed premises late at night will cause an increase in anti-social behaviour, noise and littering. An unguarded beach, late at night. , just a few meters from the premises, presents a high level of risk to public safety. My concern is that if this license is granted, it will encourage intoxication, which has been seen in many other places, resulting in drunken and disorderly behavior and vandalism.

Another resident wrote: “My family have lived in Praa Sands for 46 years and I remember with horror the previous occasions when Welloe were granted late night entertainment licences. They often involved numerous buses, cars and taxis traveling in and out of the village, as most of the people present were not from the immediate area.

“Therefore, outside the facility there were significant numbers of people waiting for transport, impromptu parties around vehicles in car parks and roads long after the premises had closed, resulting in late night noise, fighting, noise and damage surrounding properties, fences and gates. being plucked to make fires on the beach, broken bottles, faeces and condoms strewn along the roads, green grass, dunes and beach”.

“Welloe’s soundproofing is very poor due to its very basic construction – thin insulated roof and lots of glazing. During previous events at the late night club, the bass sound was present and distinctly audible throughout much of Praa Sands, even with the doors and windows closed,” stated another letter opposing the application.

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Owners Welloe have outlined all the measures they will take to ensure Praa Sands residents are not affected, saying: “We will have bouncers at the doors at events and big weekends and we will have CCTV. We will do regular toilet checks at the events we decant. glass bottles in plastic bottles and we serve drinks in plastic cups. We are also members of Pubwatch.

“We put up signs telling the public to leave quietly – when there are events, we have closed doors, the music will be turned off until midnight, the outside speakers face the city and the volume is not loud. We operate a Challenge 25. Policy on event nights we have a no under 18 rule from 9pm and we have signs saying children must be supervised at all times. We also have a maximum capacity of 500 and there is free water for everyone.

The bar owners added: “We do regular fire checks and have a fire drill, we also have inspections of our alarms and fire extinguishers. We also have members who are trained in first aid and have first aid equipment on site. Emergency lighting is in place. We have no smoking signs.

A decision will be made on the application at a meeting of Cornwall Council’s licensing committee on Wednesday 8 May.