AN Inveraray caravan park has been granted permission to host children aged 12 and over unaccompanied in its food and drink area when ordering food.
Management of the Hub, at Argyll Caravan Park, also sought changes to times when children and young people are allowed access to the premises.
A licensing official said that they were confident that the relevant restrictions were in place which would allow a “safe and welcoming” environment.
The variation of the premises licence was granted at a meeting of the Argyll and Bute licensing board on Tuesday, September 23.
Barbara Dawson, speaking in support of the application, said: “This is about providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our customers. We think it is a relatively controlled community environment here.
“The residents of the park have a vested interest in good behaviour and we have systems and procedures in place to manage this variation responsibly.”
Licensing standards officer Jacklyn Robertson said: “The current terms do not permit anybody under 18 to be on the premises without an adult. They are quite convoluted so we have tried to implement the terms the Hub wants and rearranged them into appropriate headings.
“Under the terms, children aged 12-15 will be permitted when consuming food or soft drinks, or collecting food to take away. Children under 12 have to be accompanied by an adult.
“Under times, we propose that 12–15-year-olds are permitted unaccompanied until 7pm, or 9pm when accompanied by an adult for the purposes of taking a meal, or for the duration of a pre-booked function or event.
“I have been to the Hub and met with the management, and I do feel they have the relevant restrictions in place to provide this environment.”
Councillor Kieron Green (Independent, Oban North and Lorn) asked: “When you have looked at children and young people being on the premises, there is an expectation of some snacks as well.
“Is that potential here, or is there sufficient wider room for them to be on the premises to justify children and young people being there?”
Ms Dawson said: “We have a library section for people who want to read books. It is a family environment and there are always families in here.
“Adults will regularly come in with their children and there is always that kind of atmosphere. There are older children on site and on occasion they do not always want to be with their family.
“It is more difficult when they only want to order food to take away. We have a process where they have to come into reception, which is in a separate part of the building.
“If the reception staff are able to, they come through and order the food on their behalf. It would make it a lot easier if they were able to come in and order the food themselves.”
The board then unanimously agreed to grant the variation to the licence.
Andrew Galloway
Local Democracy Reporter
