HOTEL BON PORT neighbours were pleased with yesterday’s Royal Court decision to adjourn three of the hotel’s four temporary liquor licence applications for its controversial marquee. ‘It is as good an outcome as we could have expected and time will tell,’ said Maureen Roberts, speaking outside the court.

Ms Roberts told the court she was concerned that holding functions at the marquee would lead to traffic gridlock.

Residents had previously raised concerns that the road could not support any expansion of the hotel.

‘Last Saturday we witnessed chaos when the event was held in the marquee and, despite the efforts of the

marshals, motorists were forced to reverse a very long way.

‘It caused a very stressful situation for all lane users,’ she said.

The court was told that police were called to the area on Saturday after reports of severe congestion following a hotel open day to launch the marquee.

Two people were subsequently reported for highway-related offences in the lanes leading up to Bon Port.

A police spokesman declined to confirm whether they were residents of the lane.

Resident Roy Greaves told the licensing court that it was normal practice for landowners to block gateways to fields in the area, but was unaware that residents had been responsible for obstructing traffic.

The court was also told that residents had received letters from advocates acting for the hotel, telling them not to take any steps to block the access road to the hotel, impede or otherwise disturb the free movement of people or traffic on the road, or make any public statements which were untrue or which caused the hotel any business damage.

St Martin’s senior constable Richard Strappini had read the letters and told the court: ‘My personal reaction is that they are controlling and threatening and must now be added to my concerns over this application at this time.

‘These letters open issues of the manner in which the marquee business will be run in future.

‘Are these letters going out every time there is a function? If so, does this not add up to the extreme and unacceptable harassment of law-abiding St Martin’s residents?’

South-east District deputy Francis Quin watched the case from the public gallery. Speaking outside the court, he said that the attempts by the hotel to run a successful business were to be applauded, but the location was potentially problematic.

‘Someone is doing a good job, but is it in the right place?’

Lt-Bailiff David Lowe said that the hotel would be required to control traffic when the marquee was in use and also make sure that music did not unduly or unreasonably interfere with the peace of the area and that volume was controlled.

Signs would also have to be displayed at exit points informing guests that the area was a residential one and telling them to leave

quietly.