Farm shop and cafe near Bristol faces backlash over 'bonkers' plan after hours

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”. The application is for on- and off-sales of booze from 9am to 11pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am to midnight Thursday to Saturday and 9am to 10pm on Sunday, along with live music indoor and outdoor from noon until 11pm on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday and midday to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Recorded music could be played inside and outside the premises in Golden Valley Lane from 9am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to midnight Friday and Saturday and 9am to 9pm on Sunday. A report to the licensing sub-committee said applicant Charlotte House wants to sell alcohol in the recently opened farm shop and serve drinks with diners’ meals, afternoon tea parties and evening events in the cafe and outside area, as well as hiring the venue out.

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Miss House said: “We normally close at 5pm but would like to do pop-up event nights and supper clubs, private parties and weddings, so longer hours then.” 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.

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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.”

One resident said: “This is an inappropriate use of rural land and agricultural buildings in a quiet and peaceful environment creating light and noise disturbance possibly until late into the night.” 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 accompanying increased lighting would also impact the area.

“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’.

“Already there has been an ecological impact – the local toad population has been decimated by being denied traditional routes of access through this and the adjoining property and land.” 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. One resident said: “This is very likely to cause a significant noise issue to the village – we already have issues from the Avon Valley [Country Park] site on one side of the village and so if this is granted, we will get it on both sides.”

Another said: “Selling alcohol and playing live or taped music from 9am 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. There can be no control over the noise it will generate, the amount of extra vehicle movements on substandard narrow country lanes or the associated behavioural problems that come with it.”

One of the 52 objectors said: “The availability of alcohol from 9am to until 11pm/midnight seven days a week would be ridiculous in this quiet residential lane used by walkers, cyclists, horse riders, many of whom are young girls. A farm shop and cafe is in keeping with this area – a music venue is not.”

A resident added: “Could this application lead to a smaller version of Glastonbury taking place in Bitton?”