A soft play centre in Cheddar has been refused permission to serve alcohol following a council hearing.

Ocean Adventurers Ltd, based on the Cheddar Business Park on Wedmore Road, recently reopened after a lengthy closure brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Company director Thomas Filer applied for a licence to serve alcohol in the centre's cafe, arguing there was a "significant precedent" for his kind of business to provide this service.

But Sedgemoor District Council has refused him an alcohol licence – though it will allow for recorded music to be played throughout the business.

The soft play area is located in the south of the village, not far from the leisure centre and the Kings Academy.

Mr Filer applied to sell alcohol solely for consumption on the premises between 9am and 8pm – though the start time was later revised to 11am.

He said: "We are looking to adopt a similar model to the Web Adventure Park in York, which serves drinks in plastic cups in their indoor soft play for the safety of children.

"Any adult not properly supervising their children will be refused the sale of alcohol and may be asked to leave the premises."

The council's licensing and gambling panel met to discuss the proposals on August 7, with the decision being published on its website the following week.

Mr Filer told the panel that his business had to adapt in order to survive the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.

He said he had entered into a partnership with a toy supplier and "wished to enhance and develop the cafe", attract more customers to dine on-site while their children played.

A council spokesman said the panel "considered this approach unrealistic" because the centre's open plan layout made it difficult to confine alcohol consumption to any one area.

The spokesman said: "There was nothing to prevent alcohol being consumed anywhere within the premises, the whole area being licensed.

"This lack of separation between children playing and the consumption of alcohol was a major concern for the panel."

The panel said allowing parents to consume alcohol on-site "could only have an adverse impact on their ability to look after their children, not only within the premises but also outside".

They concluded: "The new business model is untried and untested, and the introduction of alcohol and its incumbent responsibilities is an unnecessary and added pressure to the re-opening of the business.

"We are not satisfied from the evidence considered that the application adequately promotes the licensing objectives for the sale and supply of alcohol, nor that there were any appropriate conditions that could be imposed upon a licence that could address those concerns.

"Therefore, the application for the sale and supply of alcohol is refused."