NEIGHBOURS living close to a recently re-opened Purbeck hotel site say their objections to a late drinks licence were made to achieve a balance between their rights and the growth of the business.

Three neighbours feared additional public nuisance incidents in the area if the requested hours were agreed, claiming there are already being disturbed by patrons from a nearby existing bar.

A spokesman for the residents living close to the High Street site said their objections were aimed at striking a reasonable balance, allowing the new business to thrive, but neighbours to also enjoy peace and quiet.

The Purbeck Plaza has applied for a new Premises Licence to include opening until 1am on Friday and Saturdays and for special occasions in the town and until 2am on New Year’s Eve with the ability to play live or recorded music within those times.

The Plaza, which was previously the Purbeck Hotel, describes itself as a Spanish-style restaurant with a capacity of 60 seated, serving breakfast, lunches and dinner with drinks, including alcohol.

Bethany Hughes, for the Purbeck Plaza, said she had responded to the representations trying to assure those with concerns. She said the building had been a pub for around 200 years with the previous licence allowing for 24-hour opening.

“I don’t want to upset any neighbours. We own the property above and are going to holiday let six flats so it will be in our best interests to keep the noise down and prevent public nuisance because it’s something which will affect us as well,” she told the licensing panel.

“We want to keep everybody happy in this but I do also want to run a successful business… we are aiming for a late night, civilised, dining option.”

She said the re-opening of a building which had been vacant for a long time would enhance Swanage and create jobs. The venture had been widely welcomed in the town.

Ms Hughes said the music would mostly be background music but she did hope to run occasional live music nights when windows and doors would remain closed with the music finishing at 11pm, other than New Year’s eve. She said the level would not be excessively loud.

The hearing was also told that, in time, the business hoped to apply for a pavement licence to have tables and chairs outside until 11pm.

Neighbour Mr James Eatwell commended Ms Hughes for the steps she was offering to help those living nearby but said it appeared from the proposed licence there would be nothing to stop people ordering a take-away drink under the off sales rules before 1am and then staying in the area until the early hours, potentially causing problems for those living there.

He said that none of the residents wanted to stop the granting of the Premises Licence but wanted a balance between the needs of the business and of the neighbours to enjoy their own properties without unnecessary disturbance.

“People do like to congregate outside. Swanage people are friendly, and they do like to shout across to their friends and have a josh with them at the top of their voices… that’s fine up to half past ten, eleven o’clock but after that, in the early hours of the morning it does become disruptive… noise in the street can be very intrusive, especially after midnight,” he told the licensing panel.

He asked the panel to consider reducing off sales earlier than final closing time together with the enforcement of conditions around music and not disposing of waste material, especially glass, late into the evening and early hours.

He said the requested closing hours were “just too late” allowing eating and drinking up to 1am, or beyond, and suggested the ending of permitted hours at 10.30pm Monday to Thursday and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays; midnight on carnival week and Christmas Eve and until 1am on New Year’s eve, with off sales ending before those times.

“Our concern is that the smokers and other people congregating outside will cause disruption and noise and we just seek to ameliorate that risk by asking for earlier closing times,” said Mr Eatwell telling the panel that almost all the properties in the High Street above ground floor level are homes.

“We just want to enjoy our properties in peace,” he said.

The panel is expected to announce its decision on the application before Christmas Eve.