A seasonal beach kiosk in Weymouth has been given the green light to sell alcohol after councillors decided the operator had put enough safeguards in place to deal with concerns around antisocial behaviour and litter. Dorset Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee approved an application from Wintertime Events Ltd for the SC4 kiosk, located opposite Marks & Spencer on The Esplanade.
The licence allows alcohol to be sold both for drinking on-site and for takeaway between March and September. Hours will vary during the week, with extended summer trading from 1 July to 2 September, when alcohol can be sold daily from 9am until 10.30pm.
Strict conditions are attached to the licence. Alcohol cannot be sold unless a Designated Premises Supervisor is present, and every sale must be made or authorised by a Personal Licence Holder. An age verification policy is also required.
Additional measures offered by the operator have been included, such as continuous CCTV recording with footage kept for 28 days, regular system checks, and staff training.
No objections were raised by police or environmental health. Although a ward councillor initially expressed concerns, these were withdrawn after further discussions with the applicant. One objection from a member of the public remained, highlighting worries about antisocial behaviour, noise, and glass on the beach.
At the hearing, applicant Sara Hall said she has 20 years’ experience running similar businesses. She confirmed CCTV, staff training, and a Challenge 25 policy would be in place, along with regular litter patrols. She also noted that three members of staff already hold Personal Licences and agreed to the added condition that a Personal Licence Holder must be on site whenever alcohol is being sold.
