Updated: Monday 19th June - Entertainment Today Events have informed me that the Creme De La Creme Ball is going ahead this year, despite earlier issues with the licence. Now in it’s 8th year the charity event will take place at Warford Hall on Saturday September 2nd.
A reality TV star has been refused a licence for her annual charity ball which is being held at her Great Warford home in September.
Now in its 8th year, Dawn Ward's Crème de la Crème Ball is scheduled to take place in a marquee in the front garden at Warford Hall on Saturday 23rd September.
However, the Licensing Act Sub-Committee at Cheshire East Council decided against the granting of a temporary event notice (TEN) to enable the sale by retail of alcohol, late night refreshment and entertainment - including live music, live singers and a DJ - between the hours of 7pm and 2am for the charity event which would be attended by up to 480 people.
Mrs Ward did not attend the meeting today (Monday, 8th May), nor did any representatives, so the hearing therefore took place in their absence.
Brenda Lomas, Enforcement Officer at Cheshire East Council, raised an objection to the TEN on behalf of the Environmental Health Service under the Licensing Objective of the prevention of Public Nuisance.
She wrote "The fabric of the marquee does not contain noise and particularly where amplified music and amplified voice are played.
"The mainly rural nature of the location means that background noise levels will be very low and any entertainment noise (particularly when amplified) will be highly noticeable to nearby residents and intrusive within their homes particularly during evening and early hours of the morning."
Brenda Lomas continued "Residential properties are in close proximity to Warford Hall and the duration of the noise together with the sensitive hour of termination of the live entertainment is considered unreasonable in terms of noise impact to the occupiers of those properties and the likelihood to cause sleep prevention/sleep disturbance.
"Additional noise is likely to be caused following the cessation of music noise from the departure of patrons to the event. The application states that there could be 480 guests and therefore it could take a significant amount of time for all to depart with associated noise of vehicle movements, raised voices, vehicle doors being slammed etc."
A number of complaints were made to the Environmental Health Service in September 2016 regarding the level of noise following last year's Crème de la Crème Ball and Brenda Lomas states that the 2017 application appears not to have addressed these concerns.
Great Warford Action Group also wrote to to express their opposition to the granting of a temporary event notice.
On behalf of the Great Warford Action Group, Donald Strathdee wrote "We appreciate that this is a charity function, however, as residents we have been inconvenienced by the noise and disturbance for many years now and it is time that the function moved to a more suitable venue where late night noise is not an issue.
"There have been numerous instances of late night party noise emanating from Warford Hall, however last year's Creme de la Creme ball went way above what could be considered acceptable. It may just have been a coincidence, but just a few weeks after the Wards were refused permission to create a party/function business (Planning Application 15/4515M), the ball was the loudest yet. The music was so loud that the thumping music was vibrating my chest."
Speaking about today's decision, Donald Strathdee said "Speaking on behalf of the Great Warford Action Group and residents of Great Warford we are delighted with the decision of the Licensing Committee.
"We appreciate that this event is part of the Caudwell Charity, however as long as six years ago the organisers confirmed to the Parish Council that the location was not suitable.
"Residents of Great Warford have been very understanding, however last year's event was the loudest yet and enough is enough. It is time that a new home is found for the event, and one which does not cause undue disruption to local residents."
Last month Dawn and Ashley Ward lost their appeal against Cheshire East Council's refusal to grant them planning permission to create a conference and wedding venue at their Great Warford home.
Having struggled to sell Warford Hall for the past 4 years, the Wards applied to change the use of the hall from a private residence with ancillary offices to a dwelling with conference and banquet facilities for up to 130 people.
Inspector Jonathan Clarke, dismissed the appeal on the grounds that it would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
