A Norfolk manor house has been given a premises licence in spite of concerns over the risk of noise disturbance from outdoor events.
The owners of Ormesby Manor, in Ormesby St Michael, applied to Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) for a premises licence to play music, show films and boxing matches and sell alcohol.
It follows the owners’ earlier bid to become a year-round hotel, with guests set to stay in luxury rooms and a coach house converted into additional accommodation spaces.
The Manor, on the A149 Main Road, already has permission to host weddings in its impressive main house and grounds, where guests can arrive by helicopter for exclusive use of the property.
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And it already has seven guest rooms within the main building.
At a meeting of the council’s licensing committee, on Friday, July 3, members discussed issues around the application - including a series of objections to the plans from residents of the nearby area.
Local residents submitted a total of 19 letters of objection to the scheme, highlighting fear over “noise pollution”, “crime and disorder” and “public nuisance”.
One objector, Susan Alderman, from Ormesby St Michael, said she was “quite frankly horrified” and called tha plans “disruptive” and “completely inappropriate”.
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But during the meeting, owner John Thurston told councillors he had made efforts to reassure every person who expressed concerns.
“We are local people, the sixth generation in Norfolk,” he said. “We’re not going to do anything to tarnish that reputation.”
He added that he held other premises licences elsewhere in the UK and had invested a significant amount into the planned changes.
He said: “We have spent a great deal of money. We’re talking in excess of £1m. Absolutely nothing we have asked for is unusual.”
But several objectors raised concerns to the committee.
One resident said: “I have an autistic son and sleeping isn’t the easiest for him and we both work.”
While another neighbour said the issue was the level of noise, rather than frequency.
“Even if there was one event a year, there would be complaints if it was noisy,” he said. “It’s not about the number of events.”
Mr Thurston added: “We’re very aware of people’s concerns and we take them very seriously.”
The committee agreed to grant the premises licences, but stipulated that Mr Thurston must meet environmental health conditions around noise control.
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