BBC Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson has been met with objections from local residents after applying to extend the licensed area at his Grade II listed Bishton Hall to include a neighbouring field for film screenings, plays and live music.
Hanson, 47, who operates Hansons Auctioneers from the former St Bede's School building between Stafford and Rugeley, has applied to Stafford Borough Council for a variation of the premises licence granted in 2021. The proposed change would allow cultural events, live and recorded music, film screenings and alcohol to be held on the adjacent field between 10am and 11pm, with no change requested to the current permitted hours.
A report to the council's licensing sub-committee said three representations had been submitted by local residents raising concerns about increased noise levels, the use of an auctioneer's public-address system and the potential for intoxicated patrons to spill onto unlit roadways. The report recorded residents' worries about "the potential impact of noise from the proposed extension to the licensed area, largely due to the location and its lack of natural noise dampening boundaries" and cited complaints about "fake guns and cannons" used at events.
The application will be considered by the licensing sub-committee at a hearing on September 24. The council's report notes there have been no objections from responsible authorities such as Staffordshire Police or the council's Environmental Health department.
Council papers state that no public nuisance complaints have been recorded against the premises in the four years preceding the application. The last complaint, related to a wedding held under a Temporary Event Notice in August 2021, was closed in September 2021 after being judged within acceptable noise levels. The report says the licence holder confirmed that the wedding was a one-off event with a later finish time than the current licence allows.
The report also addresses concerns about increased noise from an auctioneer's PA system, saying information from the licence holder indicated that higher PA volumes were linked to filming of the television programme Bargain Hunt at the premises to raise money for Children in Need. It added that the firing of so-called "fake guns and cannons" is not a licensable activity but that Staffordshire Police had been notified in advance when such effects were used.
Bishton Hall, a Georgian building with Grade II listing, was formerly St Bede's School before becoming the venue for Hansons Auctioneers. The 2021 premises licence authorisation included uses such as a "gin lab" in a former classroom alongside cultural events in the hall's grounds. Hanson is seeking the variation to broaden the outdoor area covered by that licence.
Hanson, a familiar face on the BBC antiques show Bargain Hunt, was acquitted in February of a series of criminal charges relating to alleged offences against his then-wife. The trial at Derby Crown Court concluded with not-guilty verdicts; his former wife is reported to be pursuing a divorce.
The council's licensing sub-committee will hear the application and representations on September 24 and decide whether to grant the variation, impose conditions, or refuse the change. Any decision will be made in accordance with licensing legislation and the council's duty to balance the promotion of cultural activity with the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of public safety.