Summer ball for Oxford students set to take place in Sherbourne

A summer ball for up to 1,500 students is set to take place in a small village outside Warwick next month.
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GV - Sherbourne Park NNL-170425-211249009

The organisers of the ball applied to Warwick District Council for a premises licence for a property in Sherbourne.

The ball, also known as the Spectrum Ball, is an event being put on for students at St Anne’s and St Peter’s Colleges in Oxford.

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According to the ball website the event will transform the Grade-II listed Sherbourne Park into a ‘festival of colour and light’.

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GV - Sherbourne Park NNL-170425-211404009

The event will take place on the grounds of the Georgian estate both inside and outside of marquees. The application for the licence is for the sale of alcohol, entertainment and late-night refreshments.

Three stages are scheduled for the event as well as a fairground rides and entertainers. Students attending the ball are due to be transported to and from the event by coaches.

The application was put before the council’s licensing and regulatory panel on Tuesday.

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In the agenda for the meeting there were several objections from residents, police and councillors.

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GV - Sherbourne Park NNL-170425-211416009

Objections were registered for a variety of reasons including noise disturbance, behaviour concerns and traffic management.

One objection read: “An event for 1,500 people involving live amplified music and other entertainment until 4am is not appropriate for the rural village location.”

Another said: “This application is not in keeping with the local setting of this quiet hamlet and its likely noise impact and the inevitable vehicle movement on and off the site.”

Other objections expressed concern for the residents.

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GV - Sherbourne Park NNL-170425-211404009
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One read: “The number is excessive for the site, noting that the village of Sherbourne has only some 150 on the electoral register.

“From previous experience of similar events, the village will be fearful and will have to go into “lock-down”mode as it is overwhelmed by such an invasion of numbers.”

Whereas others were concerned about the impact on the village’s wildlife, which includes horses and livestock.

Leamington police also registered an objection.

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GV - Sherbourne Park NNL-170425-211416009

Amongst the numerous objections there was a letter of support which said: “I believe that this event is vital to the rich tapestry of Sherbourne village life.”

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Despite the concerns and objections the council’s Licensing and Regulatory Panel granted the Spectrum Ball committee the premises licence.

The panel granted the licence with a number of conditions.

One condition included limiting live music, recorded music or similar performances from 7pm to midnight. Another limited the late-night refreshments from 11pm to 2.30pm and the supply of alcohol from 6.30pm to 2.30am.

Other conditions included no music or sound systems with fairground attractions, sound level restrictions and noise monitoring as well as time restrictions on the site access.

There is also a requirement for the event organisers to distribute leaflets to the houses in the area, which will describe each performance and give out contact numbers in case of any complaints.

A fireworks display has also been added to the ball’s programme of events, to which the panel has said can only take place between 7.30pm and 10.45pm.

The Spectrum Ball will take place on May 13.