Playbarn is granted alcohol licence despite concerns by residents over safety of children
Adult visitors to a new family attraction in South Staffordshire will be able to enjoy a beer or wine during their visit – but a number of residents have raised concern about the safety of children if alcohol is served at the site.
The playbarn is due to open in Brewood this month- in time for families to enjoy a day out during the Easter holidays.
Just days before the opening, Chillington Playbarn Ltd was granted a premises licence by South Staffordshire Council to serve alcohol between 12pm and 5pm on weekdays and 12pm to 3.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays, to be consumed on the premises at Kiddemore Green Road. But the premises licence application met with five objections from local residents concerned about public safety, protection of children from harm and prevention of crime and disorder.
One objector said: “The original development was to be a children’s activity centre and not a bar, offering alcohol is encouraging people to drink and drive as there is very poor public transport for the area. Protecting children from harm is part of the licensing objective and by putting adults at the wheel of a car whilst transporting children after consuming alcohol goes against this, public safety and prevention of crime would also be compromised.
“Should the license be granted it will not be long before extensions would be applied for to allow alcohol sales into the evenings and then for events to be held there which again will encourage drink driving, and anti social behaviour. Again I reiterate that the original application was for a children’s venue and a children’s venue does not require the sale of alcohol.”
