Decision over Wimborne Beer Festival to be made this week
Dorset Police asked for some additional conditions to be imposed by Dorset Council
A decision is expected this week on plans for an annual summer beer festival at the Wimborne Showground site.
For fourteen years the event has been held in the town centre, initially started by Wimborne Round Table, although the community group has since folded. Over the years the event has raised around £80,000 for local charities.
Dorset Police has asked for additional conditions to be imposed by a Dorset Council licensing committee to ensure public safety – which the organisers have said they will comply with.
Just one public objection has been registered to the event on the ground of possible anti-social behaviour and noise for residents in Willett Road. Concerns were also raised over the risk of traffic hold-ups on Julian’s Road off the Lake Gates roundabout.
A decision on the licence for the event, which is planned for the first weekend in August, is to be made by a Dorset panel this Thursday, June 16th.
The organisers say the event, due to start on Friday August 5th, will include live and recorded music up until 11pm Friday to Saturday with last orders also at 11pm.
Around 15 hours of live music are planned over the whole weekend, starting no earlier than mid-day, with the exception of Sunday when the event will finish at 4pm.
Camping is being provided on the 36-acre site with the majority of beer sales expected to take place within a marquee, according to applicants for the licence, James and Laura Winter, who say the stage will face away from houses to reduce noise levels.
Around fifty ales from around the country are expected to be on offer at the event along with food stalls and entertainment for children.
A statement from the couple said:
“Some live music will consist of one individual playing and will be at an even reduced level of noise due to the type of acoustic music played. Noise will be closely monitored throughout the event, incorporated within our risk assessment and this is something we have to consider for everyone who visits or is working at the event.
"This will be a family run event and has always been at the heart of the community of Wimborne in the last 15 years and has been managed effectively to reduce the impact it may have on the local community."
Said the single letter of objection to the event:
“Already the noise nuisance from the fairs that are regularly held there for days on end has been considerable at times, and is not acceptable in a rural area.
"The fact that it is a Beer Festival and may therefore include day long drinking by some visitors poses a potential threat to others, as well as to motorists travelling along the busy Julian’s Rd, especially at night if revellers choose to walk into Wimborne.”