A NEW licence has been granted to a Somerset pavilion and playing fields, despite an historic assault investigation and claims of anti-social behaviour.

The Tatworth Playing Field Committee manages the Tatworth Pavilion and Playing Field, which lies off Post Office Lane in the village near Chard.

The committee applied to South Somerset District Council to renew its licence after its previous licensee died in September 2020.

One local resident was critical of the committee’s management of the facility during the annual Party in the Park, claiming his daughter had been assaulted during the 2012 event.

Despite his concerns, the council has allowed a new licence for the pavilion to play live and recorded music, and for alcohol to be served all year round.

Resident Jason Abbott voiced his concerns about the Party in the Park event at a virtual meeting of the council’s licensing sub-committee on Monday morning (February 8).

He said: “We’re not objecting to the licence per se, but a lot of the concerns my neighbours have talked about haven’t been addressed.

“Antisocial behaviour, littering, public urination, damage to cars, things like that. The police were called in 2012 for an assault on my daughter, who was coming back from an event.

“I don’t think they [the Tatworth committee] are doing all they can to minimise disruption to the local community. There are three exits and entrances to the playing fields – one exit down Deane Way is very poorly lit and is a safety hazard.”

Mr Abbott said he had no objection to the facility being used for football matches, fairs or other events, but said more needed to be done to keep the public and residents safe during the Party in the Park, which is typically held in August.

He said: “There are a lot of elderly residents in Deane Way and Drakes Crescent who are very upset by a lot of the things that’s gone on in the past.

“There’s a couple of them who go and stay with relatives the night that it’s on because of the distress it causes them.

“There have still been instances in the last few years – there’s still been litter, broken bottles on tennis courts, plastic glasses everywhere.

“It’s not very nice to walk up the alleyway and find human excrement on the pathway – it’s not good enough.”

Under the terms of the new licence, live or recorded music will be permitted on the playing fields for up to three times a year between 4pm and 11pm on a Friday or Saturday.

Smaller events within the site, hosting less than 500 people, may also take place at other times of the year, with the sale of alcohol being allowed daily between noon and midnight.

Diane Cox from the playing fields committee said there had been three complaints made about the Party in the Park in 2011 and a further complaint about the same event in 2013 – but none had been lodged since then.

She said: “We hire the pavilion out for private functions – birthday parties, christenings and the like. We have four major fundraising events which happen annually.

“The playing fields’ sole income is from events, bar revenue and hiring out the pavilion and grounds. We feel that they are a vital recreational facility within the village and forms a very useful part of the community.”

Ms Cox said that the committee now employed security guards to control the crowds during Party in the Park, preventing people from entering at the wrong gates, confiscating alcohol being brought onto site and policing “poor behaviour” near residential properties.

She added: “We don’t allow any glass bottles at all on site during Party in the Park.

“We have fenced off the bottom gate – the one near Deane Way is fenced off to prevent any entrance or exit from that gateway.”

There were no objections to the new licence terms by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service or the council’s own environmental health team.

After less than half an hour’s deliberation in confidential session, the sub-committee voted to grant the licence with no additional conditions.