'Disastrous for village'
'All-day nightclub' fears amid farm shop licence bid
Dozens of villagers are fighting “bonkers” plans for a farm shop and cafe to sell alcohol and play live music outside until midnight.
Golden Valley Farm Shop in Bitton has applied for a premises licence, which will be decided by South Gloucestershire councillors on Thursday, April 18.
More than 50 objections have been received, including from the parish council, with concerns about road safety, noise, wildlife, local fishermen and fears the site will become an “all-day nightclub” and a “smaller version of Glastonbury”.
Applicant Charlotte House says she wants to run pop-up supper clubs for the local community, as well as weddings and afternoon tea parties.
A report to the licensing sub-committee heard Ms House wants to sell alcohol in the recently opened farm shop and serve drinks with diners’ meals.
“We normally close at 17:00 but would like to do pop-up event nights and supper clubs, private parties and weddings, so longer hours then," said Ms House.
No objections have been received from the authorities, including the police and environmental health, but Avon & Somerset Constabulary has agreed conditions with the applicant to install CCTV and have no more than two outside live music events a month.
However, in written submissions ahead of the decision meeting, one neighbour said: “It would be disastrous for Bitton and the local area to allow this.”
Another said: “Another bonkers proposal that should be rejected.”
A villager said a change of use of the former agricultural building to a farm shop was allowed last year under permitted development, which means planning permission was not required, but that the new application went beyond that.
They said: “Bearing the rural location in mind, the noise from open-air live bands could be intrusive. The land is low lying and has an amphitheatre effect.
“There will be a significant increase in traffic, day and night on unsuitable unlit ‘Quiet Lanes’.
One of the 52 objectors said: “Selling alcohol and playing live or taped music from 9 am until 11pm seven days of the week is akin to having an all-day nightclub in the area, something more suitable to Bath or Keynsham.
A resident added: “Could this application lead to a smaller version of Glastonbury taking place in Bitton?”
Bitton Reptile and Amphibian Group, whose ‘toad patrol’ rescues migrating frogs, toads and newts during the breeding season, has raised a concern but not an objection.
It said nearby housing developments had caused a “catastrophic decline” in the area’s amphibian population, from 4,000 toads in 2018 to 350 in 2023, and those that remained were at risk of being killed because of increased traffic, which a premises licence would make worse.
