A Yorkshire Dales hotel owner said residents’ worries about an increase in drunken behaviour from a 24/7 alcohol licence extension had arisen due to a “misunderstanding”.
The Brook Group, which operates the Aysgarth Falls Hotel, in Aysgarth, has applied to North Yorkshire Council to extend the hours it can serve alcohol.
The owners of the Wensleydale venue also want the licence to cover 14 new lodges being built behind the hotel.
In an objection to the application, Aysgarth and District Parish Council said the application has caused considerable anger among residents.
The parish council said residents felt they had been deliberately misled as a previous planning application for the lodges said the venue’s current operating arrangements and opening hours would not change due to the development.
The council added: “Assurances were given in good faith; those assurances have now been disregarded. This has undermined the trust between the community and the hotel’s management.
“The proposed changes will allow alcohol to be served at all hours, creating the very real possibility of noise, disruption, and anti-social behaviour during times currently considered quiet and restful.
“This is particularly inappropriate in a village of Aysgarth’s size and character, and completely incompatible with its setting in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.”
Several local residents have also submitted objections.
One said: “Currently, this area around the Aysgarth Hotel is very safe, but with 24-hour sale of alcohol this would probably diminish, attracting anti-social elements.
“There is no public transport other than during working hours and then very limited, taxis are again limited.
“A rise in drink driving is likely. Police are very rarely seen and then only driving through to other matters. There are no foot patrols.”
Another resident suggested the venue could be turned into a nightclub, which the company operates elsewhere in the country.
But Cameron Brook, from the Brook Group, said the company believed there had been a “general misunderstanding” about the intention of the application.
He added: “We are not seeking to extend bar opening hours or introduce late-night drinking; our aim is simply to allow guests staying in our new garden suites to enjoy a small selection of drinks from their in-room minibars – a facility that is standard practice in hotels across the UK.
“We remain committed to continued investment in the hotel and to supporting local employment opportunities.
“At a time when the leisure and hospitality sector faces exceptionally challenging trading conditions, we respectfully ask for the community’s support for this application.”
Mr Brook said that since acquiring the property in 2021, the company had invested millions into the hotel, including the development of 14 luxury garden suites due to open this autumn.
He said the hotel was already one of the largest employers in the area and he hoped the community could support the venue “at a time when the leisure and hospitality sector faces an exceptionally challenging trading environment”.
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Premises Licence Requirement: The sale of alcohol (including from mini bars) is a licensable activity under the Licensing Act 2003. Hotels must obtain a premises licence from their local licensing authority (typically the local council) to authorise this. The licence must explicitly include the bedrooms as part of the licensed area if mini bars are present, to avoid any question of unlicensed supply. Without this, operating mini bars could be considered an offence.
Hours for Residents: The Act includes provisions (carried forward from the repealed Licensing Act 1964, section 63) that allow licensed hotels to supply alcohol to residents (and their bona fide guests) at any time during the period of residency, without being restricted to fixed “permitted hours.” This means mini bar access can be available 24/7 for guests, provided the premises licence covers the activity and location. The licence itself does not need to specify “24-hour” operation overall; instead, the conditions typically differentiate between residents and non-residents. A 24-hour licence for non-residents (e.g., in public bars) is less common and subject to stricter scrutiny to promote licensing objectives like preventing public nuisance.
Practical Application: When applying for or varying a premises licence, hotels often request conditions allowing 24-hour access for residents only, which is “commonly accepted” by licensing authorities. The sale occurs when the guest removes and consumes the drink from the mini bar, so the licensed hours must cover this for residents. Payment is often deferred to checkout, but this does not affect the licensing timing. If the hotel also offers room service alcohol, the bedrooms should still be included in the licensed plan.
Exemptions and Exceptions: There are no broad exemptions for mini bars; they are treated as retail sales on the premises. Vending machines (if used instead of traditional mini bars) selling alcohol must also comply with licensing if accessible to the public, but hotel mini bars for residents are covered under the premises licence. Late-night refreshment rules (hot drinks after 11pm) do not apply here, as alcoholic drinks fall under alcohol supply authorisation.
All this from a company who told us locals that they didn’t want our business. I completely support Aysgarth residents and their strong objections as outlined in the planning application.