NEIGHBOURS have objected to alcohol being sold at the West Wight Alpacas cafe in Wellow.

An application for a premises licence until 9pm, on Wednesday to Saturday evenings throughout the summer, is due to go before the IW Council's licensing sub committee next week.

Neighbours Rosalind and Geoffrey Neary, Janet and Robert Chambers, and Susan Scott, submitted a joint objection on the grounds of prevention of public nuisance.

They raised concerns about noise of people socialising outside during the summer evenings, disturbance to sleep and disturbance from additional traffic.

They stated their properties are between 10m to 20m away from the restaurant and outdoor seating area.

An email submission from neighbour Jon Hall raised concerns about public nuisance too.

Michelle Payne, of West Wight Alpacas, agreed to stop selling alcohol at 9pm, on the advice of the police, to allow half an hour drinking up time before the cafe closes at 9.30pm.

This, combined with the restriction that alcohol could only be consumed in a covered area facing away from residential properties, led council officers to conclude disturbance to sleep would be unlikely.

Customers can already take their own alcohol to the premises, and it already operates as a tourist attraction with a cafe/restaurant, so it was found selling alcohol would not create additional traffic.

Mrs Payne said the neighbours in question were a small group of continual objectors and she had tried over the years to interact with them.

She said: "We cannot agree that an alcohol license would cause public nuisance. This is a restaurant setting, not a busy pub, therefore it is unlikely to attract rowdy heavy drinkers."

Officers are recommending the licence is granted with any additional conditions that the sub-committee deem reasonable and proportional.

The licensing committee is due to determine the application at 10am on Monday (22) at 10am.