Christchurch couple Paul and Virginia Trickett, who are behind floating restaurant plan at Mudeford Spit, hit back over complaints

A couple who plan to set up a floating restaurant off Mudeford Spit say it will be “classy, not party” after claims it will “shatter the peace” of the area.

Paul and Virginia Trickett, from Christchurch, have applied for an alcohol and music licence for the venue which will be moored opposite the Beach House restaurant and bar.

But the application has enraged owners of Britain’s most expensive beach huts which sell up to half a million each. They claim it will lead to drunken customers defecating overboard and urinating on the beach.

Paul, who has spent the last five months building the restaurant in his back garden which backs onto the River Avon, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I read some of the complaints. I am not planning to bring Ibiza to Mudeford!

“When I read the ones about people going to toilet overboard, I thought ‘What type of people do you mix with?’.

“The restaurant is going to be classy, not party, and we will only be playing background music like you get in any restaurant, not blasting out dance tunes.”

In their application, the couple have asked to be able to serve drink until 10.30pm and play music until 11pm.

But Paul revealed: “We will not be there until 11pm. I imagine most evenings it will be until 8 or 9pm. We have asked for longer to cover events when we might want to stay open longer, like if we run some sunset evening events.”

“People can only drink it they are having a meal – it won’t be a ‘party boat’.”

He described some of the complaints as “ridiculous” adding: “This stuff about urinating behind the beach huts and rowdy behaviour, they say it is already happening so that has nothing to do with us.

“We have no intention of allowing bad behaviour.”

The restaurant will seat 48 and has one toilet onboard which some objectors say is not enough. But Paul disputes that: “People will not be peeing over the side, or jumping overboard, or swimming to shore.

“This is a proper restaurant, and we will be ensuring public safety, which is one of the licensing objectives you have to meet.

“Preventing public nuisance is another, as is protecting children from harm, and we will certainly be doing that.”

Another objection claimed the venue was unsafe as “vertical” drinkers could lose their balance if a passing boat caused waves.

But Paul hit back: “The tables and chairs are all very heavy and people will be seated. No one is going to drown, we will be very safety conscious.

“The trouble is that there are loads of elderly people there and they don’t like any change. But they certainly don’t own the sea, so if the council give us the go-ahead, they can’t stop us.

“They complain about us commercialising the area but it’s already got the Beach House which recently ran a rum-and-reggae party. They also have live music events. So why is it alright for them and not us?”

He also rebutted claims the restaurant will impact the environment in what is considered to be a wildlife sanctuary.

Paul said: “The wildlife is up by Hengistbury Head which we will be nowhere near. We will be making sure no waste goes overboard as well, so there will be no harm to marine life either.”

The restaurant is currently floating on the River Avon off Paul’s home mooring. Paul said he got the idea for it while enjoying a drink on Mudeford Quay.

He said: “I had run a charter dive boat business, but Covid put paid to that. I first thought about a floating fish-and-chip shop.

“But it’s going to be classier than that – lobster, steak and chips, fresh fish from local fisherman.“

The restaurant, which has been handbuilt by Paul, folds up thanks to a hydraulic lift system and will be moved each day to its “designated area”.

Paul says he is “confident” BCP Council’s licensing sub-committee will approve his application when it meets today (Tuesday).

He said: “I will be looking forward to welcoming some of the objectors aboard when we set up, I am sure when they see what we are actually doing they will agree it is an asset to the area. Something unique and special.”