Licensing Act Sub Committee - 17 June 2026

At a meeting of Cornwall Council's Licensing Sub Committee, members elected Councillor J Martin as Chairman for the session. The Sub Committee then considered two separate applications relating to premises licences in the county.

The first application concerned a Grant of a Premises Licence for Widemouth Bay café in Bude. The applicant confirmed that the proposal had evolved significantly since the initial submission, including a reduction in proposed operating hours to between 8am and 9pm, the removal of off-sales from the application, and an agreement on conditions with Devon and Cornwall Police, meaning the Police no longer opposed the application. The applicant stated that the maximum capacity would be 80 and that staff had been trained to prevent off-sales. A representative from Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the conditions agreed with the applicant. The application was considered against the provisions of the Live Music Act 2012, with legal advice noting that a condition requiring an Environmental Protection assessment could not be imposed outside of a Review process.

The second application was to vary a Premises Licence at Chings Alley Beer and Wine Cellar in Launceston. The applicant, a long-established family business, sought to allow wine and beer tasting for customers during normal opening hours, with the premises remaining a specialist retail shop rather than becoming a bar. No Responsible Authorities raised concerns about the proposal. The applicant argued that the variation would not change the fundamental nature of the shop, that there was no evidence of noise issues, and that objections were based on assumption rather than evidence. In contrast, an Other Person in objection raised concerns about existing anti-social behaviour and public nuisance in the local area, arguing that the proposal represented no real change from a previously refused application.