Just the ticket Drive-in cinema is approved for Robins’ car park
ADRIVE-IN cinema will come to Cheltenham Town Football Club’s car park next month after police withdrew opposition.
The constabulary initially feared the event would cause a “significant drain” on police resources as a maximum of 250 cars were proposed to enter Whaddon Road through residential streets without a clear traffic management plan.
The applicant, Break Films Ltd, wants to showcase its new film called Break and three other movies over an August weekend in the car park of the Robins’ Whaddon Road home.
The firm applied to Cheltenham Borough Council for a temporary events notice, but Gloucestershire Constabulary was against the proposal on the grounds of public nuisance and safety.
However, in the authority’s licensing committee on Wednesday, July 22, the police and applicant came to terms and so the force withdrew its objection.
The pair agreed the police’s events liaison office will work with the club to assist traffic management issues on the site, and a holding area for cars will be set up to ensure an easier flow of traffic when the films end. A police representative said in the meeting: “We will be having a discussion with the events liaison officer on behalf of Gloucestershire Constabulary with the club to get him involved in assisting with the traffic management issues on the site.
“They understand where we’re coming from on traffic coming into the site, and a holding area which reduces the impact on the community ensures the integrity of the entrance and the easy entrance of patrons. We will be having that discussion over the coming days.”
Licensing sub-committee chair councillor Paul Mccloskey (LD, Charlton Kings) said in the meeting: “I am delighted we have reached this point because we really wanted to end up with a positive outcome which supports local businesses.”
The plan would see an expected 250 cars per film showing across August 15 and 16, with a large screen erected in the club’s car park.
Security would be hired for the event, signs will be on the road directing people towards the entrance and the majority of sound will “be transmitted via FM directly to car radio stereos”, the company’s events management plan said.
Last week the LDRS reported that the force’s licensing officer said the management of single events with 250 cars in the area has “previously been challenging”, adding that it would be “unrealistic to expect or hope that local officers would be able to assist”.
The licensing officer said the “cost in terms of our resources” have not been considered.
They said: “As single events the management of 250 cars in that area has previously been challenging.
“To try and repeat this four times a day is not something that can be easily addressed.
“The impact for the local community in terms of noise and additional traffic disruption would be significant.”