Drinks licence for Dorset community hall objection
The lone objector said the parish council should be leading by example and meeting the highest standards for the north Dorset building,
A drinks licence for a Dorset community hall has met with an objection and a claim that escape routes should be improved.
The lone objector said the parish council should be leading by example and meeting the highest standards for the north Dorset building,
The claims came at a Dorset Council licensing hearing over a Premises Licence for Child Okeford Community Centre on Station Road.
Objector Mr Sam Langdown listed a number of what he sees as safety flaws with the building which, he claims, currently means the building does not comply with fire guidelines, especially for wheelchair users. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue had not commented on the hall application although it had been invited to do so.
Mr Langdown told a licensing hearing in Dorchester : “I would have no objection to an alcohol licence as long as everything is in order and safe… why should the trustees have disregard for the law and the safety of the public? They have signed up to lead by example and are not fit to have an alcohol licence at this point in time.”
He told the hearing that he had extensive property experience and knew the regulations and recommendations which buildings had to comply with.
Mr Langdown claimed that the means of escape from some doors at the Community Centre was inadequate, either in size or because of the way they opened; that a ramp was too narrow and not enough was being done to prevent parking near the entrance which might impede a fire engine. He also claimed that a fire tender would not be able to drive onto the playing field because of its weight and would need to tackle a fire from the car park, or road. He also complained about paper over existing windows – but was told that it was only temporary to keep the sun out while a blind, which was on order, was fitted.
The Dorset Council licensing hearing was told by its legal adviser that his points were matters for the fire authority who had the means to ensure the hall, capable of holding 120, was compliant with their safety guidelines.
The parish council, as trustees, have applied for a Premises Licence for the Station Road building, to sell alcohol when required, from mid-day to 11pm, although they say it would only be used infrequently.
At the hearing Child Okeford parish councillors Barbara Ireland and Elizabeth Pelly said no alcohol would be kept at the building and would only be sold for village events, or for private hires to people the parish councillors knew. Profits from events would be used to improve the building and the adjoining Queen Elizabeth II playing fields. The licensable area would include the hall itself, the pétanque ground and croquet lawn, according to the request.
Cllr Ireland said that after Covid the parish council had decided to make more use of the community centre and to improve it – and with grants difficult to achieve and a reluctance to increase the parish precept, one way to do this was to hold more events where people expected drinks to be sold, which meant applying for the Premises Licence.
Mr Langdown in his summing up said that overall the test for the hall was whether everyone inside could easily get out if the main door was blocked. He said that his answer to that would be ‘no’ as the building was currently configured.
The panel will announce its decision on the licence application by next week.