Agenda item

An application has been made for a new premises licence for Binghams Grange Touring and Camping Park, Melplash, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3TT. The application has been out to public consultation.  Representations have been received. A Licensing Sub-Committee must therefore consider the application and representations at a public hearing. 

 

The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the application which was for the sale of alcohol from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 12:00 to 22:00, on and off the premises. The licence would also permit the sale of alcohol on New Year's Eve from 11:00-01:30 on New Year's Day. 

 

The Sub-Committee heard from Mr Guert, Solicitor for the Applicant, who advised that the Caravan and Motorhome Club acquired the site in 2018 and had undertaken substantial refurbishment works, with the site expected to reopen partially in July 2025. He explained that the application related to a campsite café, reception and shop, and did not include any regulated entertainment, live or recorded music. 

 

The Solicitor explained that the hours sought were more limited than those previously authorised and that the application had been carefully considered. Following discussions with local residents and the Parish Council, the proposed terrace seating area had been reduced, resulting in the withdrawal of the Parish Council’s representation. The solicitor highlighted that the only licensing objective engaged was the prevention of public nuisance. 

 

The Solicitor emphasised that each application should be considered on its own merits and noted that no responsible authorities, had objected. It was submitted that the proposed operation was a modest, professionally managed facility for Caravan and Motorhome Club members and their guests, rather than a destination venue for the general public. 

 

The Solicitor opposed a number of conditions requested by interested parties, including a terrace curfew, restrictions linking alcohol sales to food, mandatory resident liaison meetings, and the requirement for a noise management plan. It was submitted that the proposal would support tourism and economic growth, was appropriate for its rural location, and was unlikely to cause public nuisance. 

 

In response to questions from Members, the Applicant advised that approximately a dozen Caravan and Motorhome Club sites across the UK had bars, there had been no significant police issues, and management contact details were publicly available. Any events held at the site would be for Club members and their guests. 

 

Councillor Eysenck, speaking as the local Ward Member, advised that he did not object in principle to the grant of a premises licence and recognised the investment being made in the site. However, he noted the site's location within a sensitive rural landscape and expressed support for measures to monitor and manage noise. He considered a noise monitoring condition would help prevent public nuisance and provide reassurance to local residents. 

 

Mr and Mrs Herbert addressed the Sub-Committee in objection to the application. They submitted that the application should be considered on its own merits and raised issues regarding the potential for noise disturbance and light pollution affecting neighbouring properties. Drawing on their experience of operating the site for approximately five years, they expressed reservations about the impact of the proposed operation on local amenity. Particular reference was made to the potential for noise from external areas and the site's air source heat pump. They considered their proposed conditions to be reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent public nuisance. 

 

Mr Herbert also supported the introduction of a formal liaison arrangement between the premises and local residents to provide a structured mechanism for resolving any concerns. 

 

All parties given the opportunity to have their say and sum up.  

 

Decision: To GRANT the premises licence with the usual mandatory conditions, conditions consistent with the Operating Schedule and the condition added by the Sub-Committee relating to a telephone number and email address to be provided, as set out below:  

 

The licensable activities permitted under this Premises Licence are:  

 

Licensable Activity	Days and Hours		Place
Sale of Alcohol	Monday to Sunday	12:00-22:00	On and off the Premises
Non-Standard Timings/Seasonal Variations: To permit the sale of alcohol on New Year's Eve from 11:00-01:30 on New Year's Day

 

Mandatory Conditions:  

 

Supply of Alcohol (s19(2)&(3)) 

 

1. No supply of alcohol may be made under the premises licence – 

 

(a) at a time when there is no designated premises supervisor, or 

 

(b) at a time when the designated premises supervisor does not hold a personal 

 

licence or his personal licence has been suspended 

 

Every supply of alcohol under the premises licence must be made or authorised by a person who holds a personal licence 

 

Drinks Promotions 

 

2 (1) The responsible person must ensure that staff on relevant premises do not carry out, arrange or participate in any irresponsible promotions in relation to the premises 

 

(2) In this paragraph, an irresponsible promotion means any one or more of the following activities, or substantially similar activities, carried on for the purpose of encouraging the sale or supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises— 

 

(a)      games or other activities which require or encourage, or are designed to require or encourage, individuals to— 

 

1. drink a quantity of alcohol within a time limit (other than to drink alcohol sold or supplied on the premises before the cessation of the period in which the responsible person is authorised to sell or supply alcohol), or 

 

(ii) drink as much alcohol as possible (whether within a time limit or otherwise); 

 

(b) provision of unlimited or unspecified quantities of alcohol free or for a fixed or discounted fee to the public or to a group defined by a particular characteristic in a manner which carries a significant risk of undermining a licensing objective; 

 

(c)       provision of free or discounted alcohol or any other thing as a prize to encourage or reward the purchase and consumption of alcohol over a period of 24 hours or less in a manner which carries a significant risk of undermining a licensing objective; 

 

(d)       selling or supplying alcohol in association with promotional posters or flyers on, or in the vicinity of, the premises which can reasonably be considered to condone, encourage or glamorise anti-social behaviour or to refer to the effects of drunkenness in any favourable manner; 

 

(e)      dispensing alcohol directly by one person into the mouth of another (other than where that other person is unable to drink without assistance by reason of disability). 

 

3.       The responsible person must ensure that free potable water is provided on request to customers where it is reasonably available. 

 

4.       (1)      The premises licence holder or club premises certificate holder must ensure that an age verification policy is adopted in respect of the premises in relation to the sale or supply of alcohol. 

 

(2)      The designated premises supervisor in relation to the premises licence must 

ensure that the supply of alcohol at the premises is carried on in accordance with the age verification policy. 

 

(3)      The policy must require individuals who appear to the responsible person to be under 18 years of age (or such older age as may be specified in the policy) to produce on request, before being served alcohol, identification bearing their photograph, date of birth and either— 

 

(a) a holographic mark, or 

 

(b) an ultraviolet feature. 

 

5. The responsible person must ensure that— 

 

1. where any of the following alcoholic drinks is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises (other than alcoholic drinks sold or supplied having been made up in advance ready for sale or supply in a securely closed container) it is available to customers in the following measures — 

 

(i) beer or cider: ½ pint; 

 

(ii) gin, rum, vodka or whisky: 25 ml or 35 ml; and 

 

(iii) still wine in a glass: 125 ml; 

 

2. these measures are displayed in a menu, price list or other printed material which is available to customers on the premises; and 

 

(c) where a customer does not in relation to a sale of alcohol specify the quantity of alcohol to be sold, the customer is made aware that these measures are available.” 

 

 

Minimum Pricing 

 

6.       A relevant person shall ensure that no alcohol is sold or supplied for consumption on or off the premises for a price which is less than the permitted price. 

 

7.       For the purposes of the condition set out in paragraph 6— 

 

(a) “duty” is to be construed in accordance with the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 

 

(b) “permitted price” is the price found by applying the formula - P=D+(DxV) 

 

(i)       P is the permitted price, 

 

(ii)       D is the amount of duty chargeable in relation to the alcohol as if the duty were charged on the date of the sale or supply of the alcohol, and 

 

(iii)      V is the rate of value added tax chargeable in relation to the alcohol as if the value added tax were charged on the date of the sale or supply of the alcohol; 

 

(c)       “relevant person” means, in relation to premises in respect of which there is in force a premises licence— 

 

(i)       the holder of the premises licence, 

 

(ii)       the designated premises supervisor (if any) in respect of such a licence, or 

 

(iii)      the personal licence holder who makes or authorises a supply of alcohol under such a licence; 

 

4.  “relevant person” means, in relation to premises in respect of which there is in force a club premises certificate, any member or officer of the club present on the premises in a capacity which enables the member or officer to prevent the supply in question; and 

 

5. “value added tax” means value added tax charged in accordance with the Value Added Tax Act 1994. 

 

8.        Where the permitted price given by Paragraph (b) of paragraph 7 would (apart from this paragraph) not be a whole number of pennies, the price given by that sub- paragraph shall be taken to be the price actually given by that sub-paragraph rounded up to the nearest penny. 

 

9.       (1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies where the permitted price given by Paragraph (b) of paragraph 7 on a day (“the first day”) would be different from the permitted price on the next day (“the second day”) as a result of a change to the rate of duty or value added tax. 

 

(2)      The permitted price which would apply on the first day applies to sales or supplies of alcohol which take place before the expiry of the period of 14 days beginning on the second day. 

 

 Conditions consistent with the Operating Schedule:  

 

CCTV 

 

10.      (1) A CCTV system shall be installed at the premises. 

 

2. The CCTV system shall be maintained in working condition and record the premises 24 hours every day. 

 

3. Recordings to be retained for a minimum of 28 days and be made available to the Police or officers of the Council upon request and be of evidential quality. 

 

4. The equipment must have a suitable export method i.e. CD/DVD/USB facility so that the Police and officers of the Council can make an evidential copy of the data they require. 

 

5. This data should be in the native file format to ensure that no image quality is lost when making the copy. 

 

6. If this format is nonstandard (i.e. manufacturers proprietary), then the licence holder shall within 14 days of being requested supply the replay software to ensure that the video on the CD can be replayed by the Police and officers of the Council on a standard computer. 

 

7. Copies must be made available to the police and officers of the Council upon request. 

 

8. Staff working at the premises will be trained in the use of the equipment and a log will be kept to verify this. 

 

9. Cameras on the entrances must capture full frame shots of the heads and shoulders of all people entering the premises, i.e. capable of identification. 

 

10. There shall be signs displayed in the customer area to advise that CCTV is in operation. Should the CCTV become non-functional this will be reported immediately to the Licensing Authority. 

 

11. CCTV cameras shall monitor all areas used by premise patrons including any external area to monitor numbers and prevent crime and disorder. 

 

12. At the commencement of work security personnel should ensure that they are recorded on the CCTV system and that a clear head and shoulders image showing their face clear of any hat, glasses or other obstruction is recorded. 

 

Children 

 

"Challenge 25" 

11.      (1) The Licensee will adopt a "Challenge 25" policy where all customers who appear to be under the age of 25 and attempt to purchase alcohol or other age-restricted products are asked for proof of their age. 

 

2. The Licensee to prominently display notices advising customers of the "Challenge 25" policy. 

 

3. The following proofs of age are the only ones to be accepted: 

• proof of age cards bearing the "Pass" hologram symbol 

• UK photo driving licence 

• Passport.  

 

Staff competence and training 

 

12.      (1) The Licensee will keep a written record of all staff authorised to sell alcohol, the record to contain the full name, home address, date of birth and national insurance number of each person so authorised. 

(2) The staff record to be kept on the licensed premises and made available for inspection by the Licensing Officer, Trading Standards or the Police. 

(3) The Licensee will ensure that each member of staff authorised to sell alcohol has received adequate training on the law with regard to age restricted products and that this has been properly documented and training records kept. 

(4) The training record to be kept on the licensed premises and made available for inspection by the Licensing Officer, Trading Standards or the Police. 

(5) The Licensee will ensure that each member of staff authorised to sell alcohol is fully aware of his /her responsibilities in relation to verifying a customer's age and is able to effectively question purchasers and check evidence of proof of age. 

(6) The Licensee will ensure that each member of staff authorised to sell alcohol is sufficiently capable and confident to confront and challenge under - 18s attempting to purchase alcohol. 

 

Refusals book 

13. (1) The licence holder will keep a register of refused sales of all age- restricted products (Refusals Book). 

(2) The refusals book will contain details of time and date, description of the attempting purchaser, description of the age restricted products they attempted to purchase, reason why the sale was refused and the name/signature of the sales person refusing the sale. 

(3) The Refusals book will be examined on a regular basis by the Licensee and date and time of each examination to be endorsed in the book. 

(4) The Refusals Book will be kept on the licensed premises and made available for inspection by the Licensing Officer, Trading Standards or the Police. 

 

14. Condition added by the Sub-Committee Contact Number for Reporting Issues/Complaints  

 

15. The Premises Licence Holder shall maintain a 24-hour contact telephone number for the reporting of issues arising from the operation of the premises. The number shall be provided to neighbouring residential properties and shall be kept available and operational at all times. 

 

16. Prominent notices shall be displayed within the shop asking customers to dispose of    litter responsibly.  

 

17. Suitable and sufficient litters bins shall be provided for this purpose either within the        premises or at the exit.  

 

18. Litter receptacles shall be placed outside the premises for customers to use and shall      be emptied daily.  

 

19. The premises will have adequate safety and firefighting equipment, and such         equipment will be maintained in good operational order.  

 

20. Staff will be trained on matters of safety, evacuation and use of emergency    equipment as required.  

 

21. Spillages and breakages shall be removed as soon as possible to reduce risk to             patrons and staff.  

 

22. Fire exits and means of escape shall be kept clear and in good operational condition.