More than 30 residents have objected to an application for a premises licence at the Dorfold Park Showground which hosts the historic Nantwich Show, writes Belinda Ryan.
Dorfold Hall Events Ltd has applied for a premises licence for regulated entertainment and alcohol for the showground on Chester Road, Acton.
The showground has been in existence since 1946 and has hosted events such as the Nantwich Show and Spooktacular for years.
Thirty-two letters of objection raising concerns about late night noise, fireworks and inconsiderate parking have been sent to Cheshire East Council.
Many are concerned because the licence applied for is from 10am to 1am Monday to Sunday.
But the applicant says this is not an extension of hours as it is the same as the previous licence.
One objector said: “Previous events held at this venue have given rise to disruptive noise and anti-social parking. On a limited basis this has been acceptable.
“This application threatens to create a situation where isolated events could become daily events, moving from the acceptable to the intolerable.”
Another wrote: “When Dorfold Hall currently holds events such as weddings or live music events, noise emanates from their premises.
“Residents in the local area, including ourselves, hear the music from events and already suffer from disturbances, noise nuisance and the inability to sleep until the event is over.
“We sincerely hope and assume that fireworks are not being proposed until 1am.
“This licence would enable Dorfold Hall to hold events repeatedly until 1am.
“These proposed hours of operation are excessive and we consider it unreasonable and unacceptable to be kept awake until 1am.”
But Charles Roundell, of Dorfold Hall Events Ltd, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he anticipated there would be between five and 10 events a year on the showground.
He said the application is for the licence to be renewed by Dorfold Hall after the previous licence, which was held by Nantwich Agricultural Society, was surrendered in July.
Dorfold Hall already has a licence for weddings and events at the hall.
Mr Roundell said: “Basically it’s self-regulating, because you cannot operate a wedding and then have a massive festival next door and so typically, I think, there will be somewhere between five and 10 events on the showground per annum and probably at the lower of end of that.”
He said the licence applied for was for every day between 10am to 1am because it needed to be flexible.
“If something like a fantastic food festival came your way, they would need to see there’s a licence in place before they take it any further,” he added.
“And if a licence is not in place they’ll just go somewhere else, so you’re basically making the showground ineffective unless you’ve got it in place.”
This year the showground has hosted Spooktacular, Oktoberfest and two fundraising events for St Luke’s Hospice.
The application will be considered at next Tuesday’s (November 9) meeting of the Licensing Act sub-committee at 2pm at the council’s Westfields HQ in Sandbach.
The problem of having large events at Dorfold Hall is that Cheshire East Council has failed to take into account the knock-on effects for local people. For example, although there are “park and ride” facilities for the Spooktacular, they are ignored by attendees with the result that local roads become gridlocked with abandoned parked cars anywhere there’s a space big enough. Pavements and quiet lanes become car parks and the damage caused to gardens and verges is appalling.
Complaints to Cheshire East Licensing are just ignored completely.
Some companies need to grow up, the trend is now silent fireworks with earbuds for the music of the show set to classical music, this is so boring hearing on a repeat loop just how many venues have spoilt life now by pandering and encouraging entitled guests to have whatever they wish without due consideration to others, go to Ibiza if you want a circus, the free for all is ruining life