Plan to serve alcohol at water park from 08:00

Objectors say plans to serve alcohol at Alpamare could result in anti-social behaviour

Alcohol could be served from 08:00 until 22:00 each day at a multimillion-pound water park attraction in North Yorkshire, if proposals are given the go-ahead.

If the plans for Alpamare in Scarborough are approved by councillors next week, alcohol could be served within parts of the site, but would remain banned from the children’s area and changing rooms.

Alpamare in Scarborough was recently taken over by bosses of the Flamingo Land theme park, but the application to serve alcohol had already been made in June by previous owners North Yorkshire Council.

However, several members of the public have objected to the proposal, voicing concerns about anti-social behaviour and public safety.

A report to be scrutinised by North Yorkshire councillors next Tuesday stated that alcohol consumption at the site would also be banned from the wave pool and flumes.

Meanwhile, alcoholic drinks would only be sold to people with a ticket for the £14m attraction.

The report also said drinks would not be served in glasses, and the premises would operate a Challenge 25 policy.

'Insane and irresponsible'

But according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, one objector to the plan, local resident Esther Morrison, said: “With the best will in the world, even if Flamingo Land is able to achieve and maintain the staffing levels needed for public safety, those staff are unlikely to be old enough or experienced enough to handle customers under the influence of alcohol."

“It is insane and irresponsible to contemplate allowing alcohol to be served at Alpamare," she added.

David Knowles, another objector, who said he had planned to visit the facility with his grandchildren, asked: "Do you really want drunk mums and dads in a swimming complex?”

Alpamare in Scarborough opened in 2016, but had to be taken over by North Yorkshire Council last year after owners Benchmark Leisure Ltd collapsed.

In May this year, leisure firm Flamingo Land was appointed as the site's new operator, with the aim of reopening the attraction for the summer season.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.