AN extension to a Minehead town centre live entertainment bar’s late night opening hours and activities has controversially been approved by Somerset Council.

The council’s licensing sub-committee received more than 50 written objections to the Bar 21 application, in The Avenue, with only two in support.

However, councillors agreed the premises could stay open until 3 am on Friday and Saturday nights and up to 12 other unspecified days of the year, and to 1 am on other days of the week.

The 3 am closing time would also apply to Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and any Sunday preceding a Bank Holiday.

Licence conditions included a midnight curfew on any drinking in outside areas and a requirement to have a minimum of two registered door staff on duty and to meet a one to 100 customers ratio after 12 midnight.

The sub-committee, whose vice-chairman is Minehead’s Cllr Marcus Kravis, heard Bar 21 had been extended with a function room created from an adjoining former shop.

Bar 21 owner Will Wynn said he wanted to use the function room to put on activities such as televised boxing and wrestling bouts, plays, film shows, and live music and dance.

Mr Wynn told councillors he had no desire to operate a nightclub and was looking to provide a venue which he believed was currently missing from the area.

He had engaged an acoustic expert who had recommended ‘significant work’ which should be carried out to meet the council’s environmental protection officer’s concerns, including installing double glazing, extra panelling, and soundproofing doors.

Mr Wynn said he was happy to have the work done but needed time to complete it.

The sub-committee heard there were concerns about how noise levels would be monitored and enforced should there be any breach of licensing conditions.

It was claimed that The Avenue was generally noisy from other premises holding licences to open into the early hours of the morning, but people believed ‘the bulk of the noise’ came from Bar 21.

However sub-committee chairman Cllr Simon Carswell said the reports were not backed by specific details of incidents or times when customers from Bar 21 might be creating a public nuisance.

Officers also confirmed the council had not received any complaints from local residents concerning noise.

Cllr Carswell said only issues relevant to licensing could be considered and other matters concerning alleged planning breaches, reputational damage to Minehead, and general anti-social behaviour were outside its remit.

He said the sub-committee considered whether it would have been ‘more sensible’ for Mr Wynn to undertake the work required to alleviate noise pollution prior to making his application.

But, it had taken on board Mr Wynn’s statement that he was ‘seeking to resolve all outstanding issues’ and his request for time to complete the work.

Cllr Carswell said councillors has sympathy for the objections on noise nuisance grounds of Minehead Town Council and local residents but the law allowed premises to open and operate without conditions unless there was evidence that doing so would undermine licensing objectives.

He said while anecdotal reports had been mentioned, in reality there was ‘little evidence’ suggesting the premises was undermining licensing objectives.

Cllr Carswell said the ‘best option’ for anybody who felt noise was excessive was to contact Mr Wynn direct and ‘keep channels of communication open’.

He said police had not objected to the application after they had agreed amendments to the original proposal, and although there were environmental protection officer concerns, there was no recommendation for refusal.

Cllr Carswell said: “The sub-committee is willing to trust the applicants to deliver on their promises, but asks that they continue to work closely in full co-operation with the police and environmental protection to ensure best practice is followed.”

The sub-committee approved the amended licensing application with an extra condition that a dedicated telephone number must be made available for people to use to report complaints.

Cllr Carswell said the sub-committee’s decision was subject to any appeal being made to a magistrates court within 21 days.

He also pointed out the law allowed nearby residents, businesses, or responsible authorities to apply for a review of a premises licence where problems occurred, but such proceedings could not happen unless evidence of incidents had been collected.