"We are not a biker meet-up spot but everyone is welcome and we can’t stay stuck in the 1950s,” says Derbyshire tearoom owner

Nikky Cooper, who took over the Homesford Tea Rooms on the A6 between Cromford and Whatstandwell in November, said she is aiming to bring something “fresh and new” for the next generation, along with providing nine jobs.

She has responded to concerns from some of the venue’s neighbours who claimed the tearoom was overly used by bikers, allegedly resulting in regular revving engines, loud accelerating and decelerating, along with people urinating in the car park and fears over future drink driving issues.

This comes as Derbyshire Dales District Council held a licensing hearing into the plans to sell alcohol at the roadside venue from 11am until 9pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Councillors approved the premises licence for the hours applied for and added a restriction, as suggested by the applicant, to limit the venue to not allow anyone under 18 to remain past 8pm.

There had been six objection letters from neighbours but no opposition from registered authorities, including highways officials at Derbyshire County Council or Derbyshire Police.

In response to the complaints, Ms Cooper said she had seen a surge of positive comments in favour of the venue and its new ownership, outweighing those raising issues.

Ms Cooper said the current planning permission for the venue limits opening hours to 10am to 6pm, which she is applying to change separately.

Later hours have required her to file temporary event notices, with 19 of 21 allowed in a year already used, without issues raised.

She said she has only applied for hours extending until 9pm and 10pm for very occasional events such as birthdays and wedding parties, with only around 30 to 40 people in attendance, with these to be limited, saying this may have worried residents who thought it would be every day of the week.

Ms Cooper said: “The 1950s tearoom wasn’t getting much footfall when the previous owners retired and it largely catered for the older generation only with cake and tea.

“It needs something fresh and new, which is able to support the staff I have and give them more hours.

“I just want to be able to offer a high tea with prosecco and a sparkling breakfast, so it provides something different in the area and to the community, with people walking up from the Cromford or from a walk, cycle or dog walk.

“In response to the ‘race track’ comments, the race track is the A6, it is the noise of passing traffic, with vehicles going past, not revving in the car park.”

She said she had not received any concerns over loud noise or people urinating in the car park, telling the hearing this was likely after hours when the venue was closed and could be passing traffic pulling in for an emergency pit-stop, which she said was trespass.

Tracey Sanderson Clarke, who runs Throttle Therapy, a mental health group aimed at bikers, hosts regular sessions at the tea rooms and said it provides a vital social outlet for people, usually men, who do not often share their feelings, and with not all venues welcoming their custom.

Keith Clarke, who lives nearby, said he and his partner have been loyal customers for years and have welcomed the changes from the new ownership, saying “nobody has complained about noise”.

He said: “I can’t see how people could hear any noise from the tearooms over the noise from the road. It is all good things happening there.”

Ms Cooper said: “Most of the people stopping off are passing trade, which can be bikers and cyclists. Our biker afternoons are until 6pm.

“A lot of bikers didn’t come before because they didn’t feel welcome.

“They are lovely people and we attract people from all walks of life, including bikers.

“It isn’t people getting drunk and riding on a race track.” She said she can organise taxis for people who are not able to drive home and has the Uber app on her phone for this purpose, but stressed it was not her duty to ensure people had a designated driver, just to ensure customers did not drink too much alcohol.

Ms Cooper said: “It has been painted as if I just want to get bikers drunk and let them go out on a race track, but that is not the case. Most of the bikers who visit us don’t drink at all.”

She said there were already approved biker pubs by the roadside in Derbyshire which are allowed and supported by police and council officials with no concerns.

Following the decision, Councillor Jo Linthwaite said: “I strongly recommend that you engage with your neighbours about your plans for the future and I hope they engage with you. If the relevant parties don’t know about concerns then they can’t do anything about it.”

Ms Cooper said the concerned neighbours would not talk to when she knocked on their doors and did not respond to a meeting request she aimed to set up to answer questions.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I am very happy with the decision. I got exactly what I wanted.

“I have got a good relationship with some of my neighbours who use it most weeks.

“I am not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings or offend anybody. If they won’t talk to me I can’t do anything.

“I am not turning this into a pub but we also can’t stay stuck in the 1950s.”