Cornwall parish council objects to beach restaurant license

St Minver Highlands Parish Council has formally objected to a licensing application for the Baby Bay Beach Club, a pop-up wood-fired restaurant located on a beach near Polzeath in Cornwall. The council and local residents expressed concerns that granting an alcohol license could exacerbate antisocial behaviour in an area that recently operated under a dispersal order.

Local residents cited a lack of public facilities, alleging that people have used the beach as a toilet. Opponents argue that licensing the premises could increase noise, litter, and alcohol-fuelled disorder, potentially contradicting the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Polzeath.

Porthilly Spirit Distillery Ltd, the operator of the restaurant, has defended the proposal, stating there is no evidence that patrons have used the beach as a toilet. The company plans to operate primarily for lunch between noon and 6pm, with occasional late-night feasts lasting until 11pm. Cornwall Council is scheduled to discuss the application on Wednesday, September 9, following 12 formal representations against the proposal.