Hotel granted licence extension despite objections

The resort has been granted permission to change the terms of its premises licence

One of Cornwall's top hotels has been granted an extension to its premises licence.

St Michaels Resort in Falmouth applied to Cornwall Council to play music and serve alcohol outdoors until 23:00.

The council’s licensing committee heard there had been 21 objections from members of the public to the application.

It granted the changes with conditions that St Michaels provides a designated telephone number for residents to raise any issues concerning the licence, which would be answered at all times, and that doors and windows are shut from 21:00 during events.

The application included the ability to screen "silent" films using headphones for audiences of up to 100 people in its subtropical garden area, as well as a licence with the same timings for live and recorded music, which would stop at 23:00 outside and midnight indoors.

The resort also applied for a seven days a week licence to serve alcohol to guests staying at the hotel at any time, with the sale of alcohol stopping at 23:00 at its outdoor Garden Bar.

Objections raised by local residents included concerns of public nuisance, noise and anti-social behaviour.

Gill Fine, a resident of over 40 years spoke on behalf of people living on Tredova Crescent, which is situated near St Michaels.

She said loud music from the hotel "disrupts the quiet enjoyment of our gardens and we often have to go inside".

She said: “Our key concerns are the unneighbourliness and also the public nuisance, particularly noise and anti-social behaviour."

Michelle Cowie, an environmental protection officer, said the council had received one complaint about music at the resort since 2017 and it wasn’t upheld.

She added that monitoring at the hotel showed noise was at the same level as walking down a street.