The application stressed that the beach huts “are residential huts where owners look to relax, eat & sleep” and complained of “loud music and general noise… causing direct disturbance to nearby beach huts”, as well as “uncontrolled public drinking”, litter and the anti-social behaviour of some of the café’s customers.  It was claimed that all four licensing objectives were undermined, primarily that of preventing a public nuisance.

The application aroused considerable press interest, being characterised as a battle between the privileged owners of beach huts that could sell for four to five hundred thousand pounds, and day trippers and other visitors to the sandbank who arrive in large numbers to enjoy what is a public beach. Some 24 beach hut owners made representation in support of the review application. The Café’s owners presented a Petition of support from over 500 people, all but a handful of whom were not hut owners.

In their original application, the Association asked for the following steps to be taken on the review:

1. Modification of the licence to restrict alcohol sales to table-service with food.
2. Removal of permission for open-air bar service and restriction of sales to within an enclosed premises.
3. Imposition of conditions requiring effective noise containment, waste management, and defined seating/consumption areas.
4. Suspension or revocation of the licence if the premises cannot be operated in a way that upholds the licensing objectives.

After a hearing before the licensing sub-committee of BCP Council, held on 12 November 2025, the Council decided that it was “appropriate to modify conditions on the licence and amend the licensable activities on the grounds that the premises are not upholding the prevention of public nuisance licensing objectives.” The principal modifications were:

1. The authorised hours for the sale or supply of alcohol shall be 10:00 to 23:00hrs daily.  
   (The licence had previously had a terminal hour of midnight. The Association had asked for a terminal hour of 21:30)
2. The premises shall be closed and customers off the premises by 23:30hrs.
   (The Association had asked for 22:00, there being no closing time on the existing licence).
3. The Late Night Refreshment Licence shall be removed.
   (The reduced hours made this licensable activity redundant)
4. A Noise Management Plan (NMP) shall be agreed with Environmental Health Officers at BCP Council to address the noise associated with music, entertainment and people generated noise at the premises. The NMP will outline the measures proposed to reduce or control any potential noise disturbances to nearby beach hut users and should be reviewed and updated regularly in particular in response to complaints, any alterations to the premises or any changes to the activities taking place on the site.
   (The licence holder had requested that the NMP apply only after 5pm. The Council determined it should apply during all operating hours).

The Sub-Committee declined to restrict alcohol sales to table service with food; and said that suspension or revocation of the premises licence were neither appropriate nor proportionate.

An existing licence condition requiring alcohol taken off the premises to be in sealed containers was re-worded so as accord with current legislation. 

In giving the reasons for its decision, the Sub-Committee said that it “noted the challenge of operating a commercially viable business in such a unique and popular location and managing the conflict of the wants and wishes of beach hut owners located in close proximity and members of the public that like to visit Mudeford Sandspit and enjoy all it has to offer.

“To address public nuisance concerns, the Sub-Committee determined that modifying licence conditions and removing late-night refreshment was the appropriate and proportionate response to reflect that the premises has grown and become a popular venue for non-resident visitors who wish to visit and enjoy the sandspit and the business has changed to remain viable after [a fire that destroyed the premises in 2018.]”

The decision concluded: “The Sub-Committee hopes that, with the new conditions applied to the premises licence, balances the interests of the premises and the beach hut residents. They noted the experience of both Mr Kim Slater and Mr Richard Slater [the owner and management of the Café] and had confidence that the premises can operate without undermining the licensing objectives.”

A copy of the judgment can be found here.

Gary Grant appeared for the Association. Gerald Gouriet KC appeared for the licence holder.