‘Partygoers will blight area if Rackley’s Farm gets new premises licence’

Cllr Jean Teesdale said she is “very concerned” a new premises licence for a barn at Rackley’s Farm in Cadmore End could see people in a “party mood” disturbing neighbours when leaving the premises.

The applicant hopes to be able to serve alcohol, show films, provide live and recorded music, and late night refreshment between certain hours daily, if granted permission.

Councillor: 'I’m afraid that just isn’t realistic' 

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Its proposed opening hours are between 9am-midnight, every day.

A previous application for extensions and parking in relation to a change of use to a wedding venue was approved.

But Cllr Teesdale said any claim there will be no problems with regards to people leaving quietly at the end of the night “isn’t realistic”.

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“My concern”, said Cllr Teesdale, “is it’s all very well saying people will leave this place quietly and there will be no problems. I’m afraid that just isn’t realistic.

“If you have ever lived near a pub…there is often noise, shouting, yelling, ‘goodnight’, and all the rest of it – and quite honestly that can be absolutely annoying to neighbours.

“I would really be very concerned about the fact that people can make a lot of noise coming out and that really doesn’t seem to have been addressed.

“I simply cannot accept that the people who run this are going to be able to stop people who have been drinking and who are in a party mood from making noise when they get outside.

“I think that could, and I’m sure it will, blight that area.”

PICTURED: A map of the area

Sue Dowling, the agent for the applicant, said: “There is no actual evidence that people leaving a wedding at that venue, tucked away in seven acres of land, in a well-insulated building, going to a well-positioned car park, will disturb anybody.

“Yes, there may be some more cars coming out of that site, it’s not a derelict site anymore, it has planning consent to operate.

“But it’s a public highway and I’m afraid public highways are there to be used at what ever time of day or night a person wants to use them.”

A licensing sub-committee said it would retire to consider the arguments made and will contact interested parties with its decision.

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