Read on Twitter
I'm at @seftoncouncil's licensing meeting this morning.
The Four Seasons cafe at The Learning Rooms in Birkdale wants to extend its opening hours. Whereas it now closes at 4pm, owners want to be able to stay open until 11pm
The Four Seasons cafe at The Learning Rooms in Birkdale wants to extend its opening hours. Whereas it now closes at 4pm, owners want to be able to stay open until 11pm
They also want a licence to sell alcohol.
The Learning Rooms is a "safe environment for adults with additional needs to access the world of work whilst selling a range of goods and services for the local community"
One letter of objection has been received, with two letters of support. Ruth Wareing, premises supervisor, said a neighbour said "what do those type of people need alcohol for?" 
A Mrs Bridge is now on the call. She says she objects due to public nuisance and disorder.
She says the licence will boost the value of this property, while homeowners nearby will see their houses lose value. She has also said "the temptation of alcohol is not to be taken lightly"
A Mr Holbrook is now on the call to voice his objections.
He says he couldn't sign the petition circulating against the plans due to Covid concerns.
"The garden centre is at the back of my house, the noise effect will be a huge nuisance."
He says he couldn't sign the petition circulating against the plans due to Covid concerns.
"The garden centre is at the back of my house, the noise effect will be a huge nuisance."
"I can't see the need for an alcohol licence until 11pm. While wandering around the garden with a glass of prosecco sounds lovely, when you back onto the premises where people drink from midday-11pm it's not so much"
He has also said parking and "slamming doors" is already a nuisance.
"Any resident of this local area knows parking is a huge concern in this area already. And how will you address issues of people walking around the garden centre while consuming alcohol?"
A third objector, Ms Monk, is now on the call. "A letter about this licence from Mrs Wareing stated the licence would only be to sell takeaway wine, beer and cider in hampers. I then discovered this was not the case."
"Mrs Wareing said she would only use the licence to sell alcohol until 11pm would only be used for fundraising events 3 or 4 times a year."
"Mrs Wareing doesn't live in this area. It is US who will suffer.
"She seems to think she already has the licence by offering for people to 'book your party or event'. But I hope this is not the case and the council comes to the right decision"
"She seems to think she already has the licence by offering for people to 'book your party or event'. But I hope this is not the case and the council comes to the right decision"
A fourth objector (whose name I unfortunately missed): "The pictures have been mutated to make the premises look bigger than it is. I am basically in this plot with my driveway. The noise, vibration, lights. We are talking 3ft from my bedroom to this premises"
"I am worried about not being able to sleep until this shuts down in the evening.
"Their staff smoke outside my house. They discard lit cigarettes in my garden."
"Their staff smoke outside my house. They discard lit cigarettes in my garden."
He says he owns part of the building and can take legal action if this is given.
"I would like to object to the way Mrs Wareing has made out the local population is anti-disabled because nobody has ever raised this issue"
"I would like to object to the way Mrs Wareing has made out the local population is anti-disabled because nobody has ever raised this issue"
"To make out anyone against this application is anti-disabled people is insulting.
"She makes out she is all 'charity' but once funding goes she will be able to sell this as a bar."
"She makes out she is all 'charity' but once funding goes she will be able to sell this as a bar."
"I just don't trust them as people who are currently breaking building control, to be in charge of a licensed premises."
Fiona Townsend Sefton's legal adviser: "Unfortunately the licensing committee can only deal with alcohol licensing issues, nothing to do with civil, planning, parking and building control unfortunately."
Objector #5 Mrs Preston: "My property is 12m from the Learning Rooms. We chose our home for the amenity of shops and peace and quiet of the area. We have nice neighbours, a lot of other elderly people around. I feel betrayed by the council."
"There was a considerable gap between what the applicant said she wanted and what she actually asked for. I applaud the good work done by the Learning Rooms but I fail to understand what benefit to this community an alcohol licence would be."
Also, apologies. I said earlier there was one letter of objection (there is one viewable on the council's website). There were actually 24...
Objector #6 Mr Pugh wants to know in what way this centre is an asset to the community and how will granting a licence benefit the neighbours?
Objector #7 Mrs Sealey: "My home is 60ft away with my back fence immediately against it. When I get home I want to be able to sit in my garden and relax"
"I've extended my home ready for my retirement. I have designed my garden so it is somewhere I can enjoy. There are many other places in Southport where this would be better-suited"
"I have worked for 50 years. This just isn't right."
One letter of objection says: "we do not want local drunks/homeless gathering near our homes, making us
feel unsafe and insecure."
feel unsafe and insecure."
Now objector #8 Mr Sealey is on the call: "The applicant said she was reducing the hours of which she is applying for the licence but she then went on to state the occasional fundraising event. But she is already offering to book the venue for people's events."
"This means we could have 21st birthday parties going on until 11pm. This is a residential area. The property is surrounded on all sounds by ordinary family houses."
"We fear the granting of a licence... Mrs Wareing said she does a lot for the local community. Those of us that live in the immediate area are completely unaware of that. I don't know who these people are. She ignores the local residents and broken a number of rules"
