Beach House Café allowed to stay open but faces tighter rules after licence review
Mudeford’s Beach House Café has had its license modified after failing to prevent ‘public nuisance’
The Beach House Café at Mudeford will continue trading but under significantly tougher conditions, after councillors ruled the venue had failed to prevent public nuisance.
The decision follows a nearly five-hour licensing review, prompted by an application from the Mudeford Sandbanks Beach Hut Association (MSBHA).
The association argued the café was not meeting three key licensing objectives: preventing public nuisance, protecting children from harm and ensuring public safety.
Nine members of the public backed the call for the review, raising concerns about late-night noise, disturbance to hut owners and increased activity around the site.
The committee found no evidence that the café had breached rules relating to child protection or public safety.
But it did conclude that the venue had failed to adequately prevent public nuisance, a ruling that has now led to a series of new restrictions.
Under the modified licence, alcohol sales will only be permitted between 10am and 11pm, with all customers required to leave by 11.30pm.
Late-night food and drink will no longer be allowed and the café must draw up a detailed noise-management plan with environmental health officers.
A written dispersal policy will also be mandatory to ensure guests leave the area quietly.
Other conditions include limiting deliveries to 8am–12pm, banning waste from being placed outside between 9pm and 8am and requiring a personal licence holder to be on site at all times.
All these changes come in the midst of the café preparing for a major rebuild after a fire destroyed its original building back in 2018.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with reopening planned for spring 2027.
In a statement on Facebook, the café thanked supporters and councillors for their backing throughout the review.
The team said they planned to introduce a new club for beach-hut owners early next year to improve communication and provide “a direct feedback portal”.