CONCERNS have been raised that allowing a shop in the centre of an Isle of Purbeck village to sell alcohol could “destroy its peace and tranquillity”.

More than a year after being given planning permission for the use of the Old Post Office building in Kingston as a shop, Kate Fitzgerald is now seeking permission to sell alcohol from it.

But with four separate letters of objections from villagers being submitted to Dorset Council, a decision will now have to be made by councillors next week.

The application is for a licence for 16 West Street from 9.30am to 5pm every day.

Last year Purbeck District Council gave the go-ahead for the change of use of the building from residential to retail use.

The decision was made despite dozens of people living nearby raising concerns about the viability of such a business and potential increases in noise and litter problems in the village.

Mrs Fitzgerald said the licence would be initially used to cover the online sale of gift hampers but will be extended to the shop once it is opened.

“The licence is requested to support the sale of gift hampers containing local Dorset produce only, initially,” her application says.

“Once the retail shop is opened sales will be of locally-produced alcohol products and food and will be targeted as gift items combined with other local products.”

Despite this, people living in the village are opposing the licence, warning that a shop in the village selling alcohol would create “significant” issues.

“[The Old Post Office] is in the very heart of our village,” John Pickford, who lives in The Lane, said. “It is close to the historic village pump and to open areas including steps down to the highway, a beautiful Purbeck stone flat-topped wall and mown grassland.

“These are all areas where people can – and will – gather having purchased alcohol, if a licence is granted.

“This combination of openly accessible areas and the sale of alcohol has the potential to create a significant public nuisance and to destroy the peace and tranquillity of this most unspoilt of Purbeck villages.”

Members of a council licensing sub-committee will consider the application at a meeting on Tuesday (September 24).