New licence considered for allowing events on Mudeford Quay

A NEW licence to allow events at Mudeford Quay is being considered by councillors as part of work to bring BCP Council’s existing agreements into line.

Members of the authority’s licensing committee who considered the application were told it would help manage larger events planned across the conurbation, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Should it be approved, it will replace a similar licence previously held by the former Christchurch Borough Council. A decision is expected to be published in the coming days.

One of the conditions of the licence would be that a maximum of three events can be held in the area each year.

The application sought permission to allow live entertainment to be hosted at any time between 10am and 11pm but does not include any provision for the sale of alcohol.

The previous licence under Christchurch Borough Council was for a greater number of hours but was surrendered in favour of BCP Council’s new proposal, bringing it in line with other areas.

“Since the formation of BCP Council, we are now part of the centralised events team,” Helen Wildman, a council event manager said at the meeting. “We wanted to bring the licences together so that they will all in keeping.”

She said this would mean the council has standard conditions in place should any large event be planned in the area, and any risks would be monitored by a multi-agency group.

Concerns have been raised that the existence of the licence would encourage events that would exacerbate problems experienced around the quay at busy times.

But councillors were told these were not issues to be considered through the licensing process and would instead be monitored by the council as part of its typical event-planning processes.

A formal decision notice outlining the decision made by councillors in private on Wednesday is expected to be published in the coming days.

A similar application covering Christchurch’s beaches had been due to be discussed by the committee but was withdrawn before the start of the meeting.

The move followed concerns raised by solicitors Blandy & Blandy that the proposal was “defective”.