Dorsom: Beaminster music festival given thumbs-up by council

A licence has been granted for a proposed new music festival.

The event, Dorsom at Seaborough Manor Farm in Beaminster, will not be taking place this year - but could accommodate up to 10,000 people every July.

The location is only accessible by country lanes, which police said made the site unsuitable.

But Dorset councillors were told to disregard traffic concerns when considering a Premises Licence for the event.

Described as having a "broad and eclectic range of popular music", the festival would be aimed at a wide audience with varied music tastes.

A map submitted with the application showed fun-fair rides, camping, bars and food tents were being planned for the event.

Sherborne-based company HopTails Ltd are behind the application, claiming experience with other pop-up events and mini festivals.

Dorset Police previously said the festival could cause local roads to be blocked and prove "challenging" should blue light services be needed in an emergency.

In response, the Dorchester hearing was told that traffic arrangements would have to be agreed by a Safety Advisory Group before the first festival, in 2025, took place.

Apart from the police, no organisations consulted objected to the plans, including highways, environmental health, fire and rescue and Dorset Council's planning and licensing teams.

However, a section of the originally proposed festival area was withdrawn from the site plan - including the banks of the River Axe and a section of wildlife interest known as Little Jamaica.

Several residents said they feared disturbance the risk of litter and "wild weeing" if the riverside area had been included, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The licence grants live music outdoors until midnight, recorded music until midnight on Thursdays and 03:00 BST on Fridays and Saturdays.

Alcohol can also be sold until 03:00, but CCTV must cover these areas, as well as entrances and exits.

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