Shepherds Hall Tea Rooms at Lealholm, near Whitby, granted licence to sell alcohol

Scarborough Council’s Licencing Sub-Committee approved the application concerning the Shepherd’s Hall Tea Rooms.

At its meeting on July 1, the licensing committee granted the applicant a licence to serve alcohol seven days a week from 10am to 10pm with a closing time of 10.30pm.

The application, submitted by Paul Rice, received one objection from a member of the public who cited the sale of alcohol as a likely cause of nuisance, including “antisocial behaviour and excess noise” which they said would affect families living in the vicinity of the premises.

“With the café open until 10pm and serving alcohol there would be increased traffic noise and possible rowdiness, especially when people drive away from the car park at closing time.”

They added that allowing “off-sales of alcohol at any time of the day until 10pm, any day of the week” would increase traffic and noise disturbances felt by residents “and it is not a purpose of the café. Off-sales of alcohol can be bought from the village shop when it is open.”

However, the licensing committee decided that “there will be no public nuisance created by the opening of the premises”, adding that “the premises is a tea rooms situated in a village and not the type of venue that will mean that a large volume of extra traffic is created.”

The committee also said that it had no concerns in relation to the crime and disorder.

The licensing plan states that the premises will continue to primarily operate as a tearoom “and alcohol will be ancillary to this” with the committee adding that it had “every confidence that [the licence holder] will be able to control and monitor the premises effectively”.