Not in my town… Photo: Unsplash / The Wave
In just a couple short months The Wave is set to open on a 70-acre farmland site in Easter Compton, a village on the outskirts of Bristol in southwest England. If you’re imagining a quaint, quiet little countryside dotted with cottages and bed and breakfast accommodations from that one sentence, you and I are on the same page.
That may or may not be the case but nonetheless, the powers that be at The Wave are on schedule to complete the £40 million Wavegarden facility soon, getting all their ducks in a row, filing the proper paperwork and permits, so on and so on. One such bit of administrative work included applying for a liquor license for what was referred to as a “cafe bar” that would stay open until 11:30 p.m. (and 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve) in the proposal that was approved in 2014. And it turns out that really grinds the gears of neighboring residents who now say they were “misled” by the proposal to bring surfing to their little corner of the UK.
“The licensing proposal is completely at odds with the original picture presented and we would have objected strenuously if we felt it was to become an entertainment venue, nightclub, restaurant and drinking facility, open from 6 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. every day. We were misled,” a formal complaint reads. “The proposal is completely alien to the original project. The prospect of noisy parties and outdoor music at the multiple leisure venues that currently exist will permeate the area and completely ruin the quiet green belt environment.”
If you’re curious how Easter Compton went from a quiet and peaceful place to the host town of your next favorite EDM/Surf crossover festival with one liquor license application, Chief executive of The Wave, Craig Stoddart, is doing his best to temper local fears that he’s bringing surf, drugs, and rock & roll to the countryside.
“It has always been our intention to serve alcohol in our café, as happens in other sporting facilities such as the local golf club,” Stoddart said. “We are aiming for a café culture on site, where people can enjoy a drink responsibly after their surf, not an alcohol-led culture focused on irresponsible drinking.”
Stoddart’s team insists they’ve been completely honest about their intentions throughout the years-long building process but locals still feel duped and were apparently under the impression this was going to be a family-friendly environment (never mind that even Disneyland serves alcohol).
This from one local who objects to the project: “This application, if successful, converts what was an honorable intention to provide a surfing facility with public interest at heart into what will be an entertainment center with private commercial interest at heart.”
Brutal. No post-surf White Claws for you.
