New Fareham padel centre serves up application to sell alcohol

A new padel centre opening next week has served up an application to sell alcohol.

Padel4all will officially open four new courts at Fareham Leisure Centre on April 20. Ahead of the opening, operations manager Luke Bedwell has applied for a licence to sell alcohol on-site.

The proposals submitted to Fareham Borough Council outline plans to serve alcohol to customers between 11am and 10.30pm Monday to Friday, and 11am to 8.30pm Saturday and Sunday.

The facility will be open between 8am and 10.30pm Monday to Friday and 8pm to 8.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The application states: “The nature of the club is primarily a padel sports facility, and the sale of alcohol is intended for the customers only.

“The club is continuously supervised and managed by a member of staff in accordance with the opening times, and CCTV is provided to cover the premises.”

The courts can have up to 16 people playing at any one time.

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Mr Bedwell said this means there will be no more than 50 people on the premises.

He added: “There will always be a member of staff present at all times, who remains vigilant and monitors customers’ behaviour.

“The club will enforce the challenge 25 policy for the sale of alcohol.”

Padel4all has also applied to host indoor sporting events at the leisure centre between 8am and 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Additionally, the application extends to playing recorded music indoors between 8am and 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday. Two objections have been made regarding the plans.

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Georgina Wise wrote a letter of objection to the council in March, which read: “There is a children’s play park next door and a skate park that already attracts anti-social behaviour in the area through drinking and drugs.”

Fellow objectors Krist and River Will said they “don’t see the need for another licenced premises”.

They said: “We have no wish for it to be licenced.”

A decision on the application will be made by the licencing panel during a meeting on April 21 at 12pm.