Stratford Rugby Club's plans to host a cider and music festival in July have been thwarted by councillors.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's licensing panel, comprising Councillor David Curtis (Lib Dem, Stratford Shottery), Councillor Chris Mills (Con, Kineton) and Councillor Ian Shenton (Con, Wootton Wawen), supported the council's professional staff who contended that the site was unsuitable for such an event.

Derby-based events company On Tick had applied to hold a two-day event on the weekend of Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13 at the Loxley Road site, with capacity for up to 2,500 attendees each day.

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The original plan was scaled back, with the maximum capacity reduced from 5,000, operating hours on each day shortened by an hour and one-off permission requested instead of annual approval to stage the event.

Council licensing officers expressed concerns about potential nuisance and disturbance from large numbers of people leaving at the end of the event and the safety implications, particularly given the likelihood of many cars being parked on nearby roads. They also argued that the organisers would struggle to deliver a satisfactory event while adhering to noise restrictions designed to protect the public from nuisance.

On Tick attended last week's licensing hearing with barristers Josef Cannon KC who stated the company was willing to adhere to the limits, urging councillors to give them a chance to demonstrate their compliance. He also pointed out that more people safely navigated to and from the site for the annual fireworks display, which is managed by rugby club volunteers, not a professional company like On Tick.

However, the panel remained unconvinced.

The decision, endorsed by chair Cllr Curtis, stated that the panel "does not have confidence that the festival operator will be able to comply with the suggested noise limit and that local residents will suffer a noise nuisance".

The proximity of homes to the site was noted and then the panel "rejected the comparison" between the fireworks and festival events.

Regarding traffic management, the ruling continued: "The panel has concerns for public safety around traffic congestion around the site and the ability for emergency vehicles to access the site.

"The traffic management plan relies on a temporary road closure of Loxley Road and the applicant confirmed that this has not been applied for as yet. The proposed event is seven weeks away and the local highways authority (warwickshire-county-council>Warwickshire County Council) advises it can take up to 12 weeks to obtain a temporary road closure. The panel doubts whether a temporary road closure could be obtained in time and whether one would even be granted.

"Loxley Road has no parking and waiting restrictions at the weekend and is a bus route. In the absence of a temporary road closure or suspension of on-street parking along Loxley Road, people attending the proposed event would be able to park along both sides of the road, reducing the road to a single lane at best. The road would likely become congested and emergency vehicles may not be able to access the site.

"Further, the applicant is proposing that Manor Road would be alternative access for emergency vehicles. Again, in the absence of a temporary road closure or suspension of on-street parking along Manor Road, it would likely become congested and emergency vehicles may not be able to access the site. The panel does not believe Manor Road would be available for alternative access and that this presents another risk to public safety.

"Given the concerns over noise nuisance and real risks to public safety posed by the inadequate traffic management plan, the panel refuses the application."