Penryn pub told they can't extend opening hours for charity event

A pub has been refused a licence to hold a dance music event which was set to raise money for charity due to noise complaints from previous events.

The Kings Arms Hotel in Penryn had applied for a Temporary Events Notice (TEN) to hold an event and extend opening hours to 2am on Saturday night (March 5th).

However, Cornwall Council's licensing act sub-committee refused the application due to an objection that had been submitted by environmental health officers.

Nathan Foster, licensee of the premises, said that previous events had been successful and that there had been no complaints from the police.

However, Michelle Cowie, environmental protection officer, said that the application should be refused as it would undermine the licensing objectives relating to public nuisance.

She said that the council had received 10 complaints from seven separate addresses in the vicinity of the venue following previous events. She said that there had been at least one complaint after every event held at the pub.

Mr Foster said that this weekend's event was to raise money for Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Marine Conservation Programme.

He said that he was willing to work with environmental protection and had invited officers to visit the premises but claimed that these had not been taken up.

Mr Foster also questioned the validity of the complaints which had been made to the council about previous events.

He said:

"We have had quite a lot of malicious activities in relation to some covid guidelines, we also have a scorned ex-member of staff and an ex-resident of the building. With these threats that are coming from elsewhere, we believe that some of these complaints may have come from them."

Mr Foster said that he wanted to build his business in Penryn and wanted to become a community hub.

He said that many students did not feel comfortable going to Falmouth and he wanted to give them somewhere to go in Penryn.

Committee members asked why the event needed to go on until 2am, and Mr Foster explained that students tend not to go out until late saying that some might not arrive at the venue until 11pm.

The committee unanimously agreed to refuse the application.

The committee said that in making its decision the members noted that complaints had been received after similar events were held in January and February and that they agreed with the environmental protection officer that the public nuisance objectives could be undermined if the licence was approved.

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