Objections to alcohol and entertainments license for Parnham House, Beaminster

The business, which was ravaged by fire in 2017, says it needs the hours it has applied for to re-develop the estate and pay for the refurbishment works.

Almost a hundred letters about the application will mean councillors putting aside most of the day on Tuesday September 7th to decide whether or not to grant it.

Nearly three hundred pages of evidence and reports have been submitted to the Dorset Council licensing sub committee which will meet online from 10am with an afternoon session planned from 2pm. Both can be viewed by the public.

Because of official notices not being correctly placed and some being removed the council extended the consultation period until August 10th.

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A report to the committee says there has been an ‘unprecedented number of representations from residents from both Beaminster and Netherbury, the closest villages.” Only 3 of the 97 letters submitted were in favour.

Parnham House Picture: Frank Knight

The level of opposition has led to some changes in the application although when the proposed amendments were circulated none of the objectors withdrew their original comments.

Said a report to the committee: “The representations cover a number of points that are material to licensing applications including the lack of detail contained within the application, the fact that the application could allow for large events every other weekend through the summer. The potential nuisance of music travelling to the neighbouring villages, size of the area covered, the wording of the proposed conditions amongst other matters.”

In the application the Parnham House team say: “This licence application is to establish a sustainable future for the estate within the hospitality sector, where a wide variety of events and form of tourism accommodation will be available. The estate will provide hotel facilities, cottages, wagons, cabins with facilities including a restaurant, estate shop and gardens. These facilities will provide a continuing source of revenue, with the preparation of Parnham House as an events centre. This application will also lead to the conservation of Parnham House and a sustainable future for the Parnham Estate which extends over 53 hectares. Parnham House will also provide employment and training opportunities for local people within the hospitality sector and in the maintenance of the estate. Parnham Estate would also be available for hosting public events for example the Dorset food fair, and the availability of facilities for the community at large for example, restaurant, estate shop, and access to gardens. During the restoration of Parnham viewing facilities and interpretation facilities of the construction programme will be made available to the visiting public.”

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Parnham House was ravaged by fire in 2017 Picture: Craig Baker/Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The House owners are asking for on and off sales of alcohol all-day, every day with an application to show films, hold live and recorded music events, dancing and other entertainment indoors from 8am to 2am Thursday to Saturdays and from 8am until midnight, Sunday to Wednesday – with similar activities outdoors from 8am to 11pm every day, and on 10 occasions in a year within a defined area until 1am.

The application also asks to be licensed for indoor plays, boxing and wrestling and indoor sports, Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 1am and on Sunday to Wednesday to midnight with similar activities outdoors until 11pm and on ten occasions until 1am.

Conditions of the licence would seek to limit the number of late night event in any month.