Burnham-On-Sea town councillors have this week reversed their decision to disallow the town’s Princess Hall to sell alcohol until midnight every day and on special occasions until 2am.
Members of the town council’s Planning Committee had initially rejected an application made by Sedgemoor District Council to vary the hall’s Premises Licence amid concerns about late night drinking.
The application was for “off-premises sales of alcohol” in addition to the sale of alcohol in the building from 9am to midnight every day, plus until 2am on New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, at Bank Holiday weekends and at Christmas.
Town clerk Eileen Shaw had said after the latest council planning committee: “Members felt the application was too flexible and not specific enough, and could see no reason for the sale of alcohol off the premises, or to the extended hours until 2am on Bank Holidays, St Patrick’s Day or Valentines Day.”
“Furthermore, members were not convinced that the proposed additional steps in support of licensing objectives were sufficient to counteract these concerns. Members therefore objected to the application on the grounds of protection of children from harm, and prevention of public nuisance, and strongly objected to the sale of alcohol off the premises for the same reasons.”
However, at this week’s full meeting of town councillors on Monday night (July 6th), councillors withdrew their objections after re-considering the application.
“Since the earlier decision, we have been able to confirm that in fact there is no intention to encourage people to take alcohol out of the premises and we have had an assurance about this from those running the Princess,” explained Mrs Shaw.
“Furthermore, the 2am opening will only apply on a small number of special days every year.”
“The police have also confirmed to us that they will be placing a number of conditions on the licencees, including having trained door staff, to further reduce the possiblity of any problems.”
Tom Ashton, Deptuy Chairman of the Friends of The Princess group, told Burnham-On-Sea.com that the decision to allow the application is “very welcome news.”
