HHRA Update 24 July 2025

Osborne View licensing application.  

I have written to Hall & Woodhouse saying:

There has been considerable alarm at the hours set out in the licensing application:

The supply of alcohol on and off the premises from 07.00 to 00.00 Sunday to Thursday and until 01.00 on Friday and Saturday

Late night refreshments for a further 30 minutes daily

Regulated entertainment (films, live and recorded music) until midnight daily.

Extended hours will apply on New Year’s Eve

We are advised that these are in fact the hours which were included in the pre February 2024 licence, but what people were used to in reality was opening at 11.00 and closing at 23.00 apart from new year.

It may be that Hall & Woodhouse envisage the norm being nearer to those older hours, and that the application for longer hours is to cover occasional exceptions.  If that is the case, I would press Hall & Woodhouse very strongly to say something along those lines which could be promulgated locally.

The Osborne View and its car park are tucked in tightly alongside residential properties in a way which might not apply if it was in a town or city centre.  There is a strong feeling locally that the design of the new building is such that sound will be likely to emanate much more from the site than it did from the old building.  The fact that it looks over the sea also means that sound travels very clearly: we hear the music from Cowes week and the IoW festival every year, for example.  We also assume that the clientele will likely come from much further afield than in the past.  Of course we understand that Hall & Woodhouse will wish to maximise the use of the new Osborne View, not least because of the massive investment which is being made in it, but we sincerely hope that will not be at the cost of good local relationships.

So - the current fear locally is that there will be nightly music and merriment emanting from the site until at least midnight, with the car park emptying thereafter.  If Hall & Woodhouse can advise as to what is likely to happen in reality, that would be very welcome.

I will let you know of any response we receive.

Meanwhile, we understand from a colleague who works on licensing applications elsewhere that it is customary for pubs to apply for the maximum hours but only to use them occasionally, as has obvously been the case in the past with the Osborne View.  But that was then....

HHRA will ask, in our comments to FBC LIcensing Committee, that a limit to the number of late night events should be set, but we think it is unlikely that will be granted.  But no harm in trying.  As is so often the case, we are advised that if problems arise, they must be raised with the local authority, both for licensing and environmental health purposes.

Closures and restrictions on A32

Further advice about road works relating to Welborne:

Lane closures on A32 Wickham Road

Part of the M27 Junction 10 improvement works

 Monday 11 August to Friday 5 September 2025

There will be 24-hour lane closures and temporary traffic lights. Journeys are expected to take longer during this time, and road users are advised to allow extra time for travel.

See full details here: https://www.hants.gov.uk/News/20250717M27J10TravelAler

Southern Water

I am grateful to one of our members who obtained the following explanation from Southern Water about the work which is being carried out on Crofton Lane:

A rising main is a foul line which is under pressure . To start with, the gravity foul line enters the pumping station (which is situated by the beach/car park area in Crofton Lane)  from local properties . The foul water is then pushed under high pressure from the pumping station to help it get to the next pumping station ( this is the rising main which unfortunately had 1 hole in it which was repaired and then another hole appeared ) . We need to line the pipe for about 260 metres  . The lining work is where we install a long sleeve of material through the pipe , we then cure the material so it sticks to the inside of the pipe that's there and then this creates a tougher line throughout the pipe which makes it more robust . The tankers are in the area removing the waste water from the network allowing residents to use their toilets etc as normal until the lining has been completed .

Members in Knights Bank Road, Little Gays etc will recall that the work carried out in May 2022 was very similar ie relining the existing sewer from the pumping station to Old Street.

We have also been alerted by one of our members to the ongoing prolem at the junction of Moody Road and Beverley Road, arising from the puncturing of the sewer when a new telecoms post was installed some six months ago. We are grateful to Councillor Pal Hayre for her efforts to follow this up.