Covid: Bournemouth pop-up beach bar bids raise disorder fears

The beaches at the resort were heaving with people when the first lockdown was eased last year

Fears have been raised over plans for pop-up beach bars at a popular resort.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council wants to allow events and catering along more of Bournemouth's seafront throughout the summer.

But residents and traders fear it will lead to a repeat of disorder and overcrowding seen in 2020.

A major incident was declared last June when an influx of visitors led to gridlocked roads, litter, wild camping and anti-social behaviour.

BCP is seeking five separate licences that it said would "enable outdoor pop-up catering sites across the seafront" and "enhance the existing offering" for visitors.

Objectors believe it would give the council "carte blanche" to hold events while "circumventing the controls and safeguards" of individual applications.

Services were stretched to "the absolute hilt" in the resort post-lockdown last summer, the council said

Alan Dove, chairman of Bournemouth Townwatch pub association, said the scale and size of the proposals would place "significant additional alcohol consumption directly onto the beaches".

"Alcohol is already known as a key ingredient in the problems experienced on the beach in 2020," he added.

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Two of the applications are for areas that are not yet licensed - at East Cliff and Toft Beach, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

They propose events, temporary cafes and bars from 10:00 until 22:00 BST, seven days a week, from April to September.

The council also wants to change existing licences for West Cliff wedding area, the east of Boscombe Pier and the area around Bournemouth Pier to allow alcohol to be sold, music until 22:00 and a wider range of events.

The applications are expected to be considered at two meetings on 20 and 21 April.

BCP has agreed an extra £2.4m of resources, including Covid marshalls and drones, to manage "exceptional" numbers expected at the resort this summer.

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