AN objection to a small ale house in Blandford will lead to a meeting to decide if the business should be granted a full licence.

The traditional cask beer bar, at 8 East Street has already been operating using temporary licences, but now wants to be granted a full Premises Licence.

Fourteen patrons have written to Dorset Council's licensing panel to support the move.

An objection from a single neighbour has claimed that the bar’s opening has already led to an increase in “undesirable activities” in the area and a loss of privacy for some homes in the street.

The letter writer lists smoking outside the premises, littering with cigarette butts, parking on double yellow lines outside the bar, parking bicycles on the pavement and up against an advertising board for the bar, previously a Thai massage parlour.

Said the objection to Dorset Council: “Individually these might be considered to be only small incidences; they have however all occurred in the 26 days the bar has been in operation, and the limited amount of time I have been around to witness and document them. This raises concerns about the applicant's commitment to upholding the four key licencing objectives moving forward.”

The letter also questions the capacity of the bar, for 15 seated and five standing in a 10 square metre room.

Neither Dorset Police, or any other statutory consultee, has objected to the granting of the full licence which only asks for opening hours until 9.30pm each day.

The applicant, Mr Karl Hopton, describes himself as an experience landlord with experience at one of the bigger pub chains and also holding trade qualifications, including Fellowship of the British Institute of Innkeeping – coupled with years of public service, including training police officers.

A hearing in Dorchester on January 9 will now decided whether or not the application should be granted.