A BID to sell booze at the screening of a Disney movie in the Borders has been refused – despite similar applications being granted in the past.

Jim McDevitt, trustee of the voluntary group ‘A Heart for Duns’, had submitted a bid for a licence to sell alcohol during the screening of the animated 2021 feature film ‘Encanto’ on Friday, July 15, from 5pm to 7.15pm, at the Volunteer Hall in Duns.

The charity has submitted similar bids in the past which have been agreed, including the screening of another animated movie, Sing 2, in March.

But on this occasion the application faced opposition from Police Scotland, NHS Borders and Scottish Borders Council’s licensing section on the grounds of it breaching a licensing objective of ‘protecting children from harm’.

‘Encanto’ is targeted at an audience of children and young people. It is thought 50 children and ten young people are likely to attend next month’s screening.

The description of the event on previous applications has been stated as ‘film evenings’ or ‘community film event’, without detailing the film titles.

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On this occasion the title of the PG-rated film was identified, raising particular concerns among officers.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s licensing board last week, Mr McDevitt said the film screenings were not ‘child-centred’ but rather ‘family-centred’ and that he felt the licensing officers approach was “inconsistent”.

He said: “We have been running the films successfully for about eight years and nothing has changed.

“No children are served at the bar, there is a separate table set up for soft drinks, tea and coffee etc, to keep them away from the bar when there is a family-type event on.

“There has been strong local support from our customers, none of whom felt the sale of alcohol was inappropriate. We have got concerns that licensing officers are making judgements on films, whether they think they are simply child-centred or family-centred or whatever.

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“We do consider the target audience for any event we put on. Northumberland Theatre Company were coming up in December to put on an afternoon panto-style event and we didn’t feel that was appropriate for a licence application.

“We just feel there is no consistency. Why grant an application in March for a film which has the same rating as the one being objected to today? There is absolutely no consistency. I don’t feel it is child-centred, I feel it is family- centred with the balance of the audience being more adult than children.”

Mike Wynne, the council’s licensing standards and enforcement officer, said: “It has been granted for a number of years on the assumption it was a family event, we weren’t aware of the films, perhaps we should have looked into that a bit more.

“Because it has always been granted doesn’t mean it should be granted now. We are where we are now.”

Councillor Tom Weatherston said: “I sympathise with the applicant 100 per cent and I can see how it must have been disappointing when he has had a licence before and now he is being recommended for refusal.

“However, we have to look at these applications on their merits and the evidence presented to us. The clear evidence here is that this is child-centred. I would take my children to the cinema several times and I would take my grandchildren but I would never go to see Sonic the Hedgehog on my own. It’s only family-centred because adults take their kids. The evidence is it is breaking the rules.”

Members agreed to refuse the application.