OBJECTIONS to alcohol sales up to 11pm for Wimborne’s Majestic Wines store have been over-ruled.

Objectors living near the West Borough store, and the town council, claimed that the proposed cut-off time was too late for the area, with other Majestic stores closing at 10pm.

Dorset Council’s licensing committee agreed to an 8am to 11pm off sales licence after being told that all of the other stores mentioned by the objectors, at Poole, Salisbury, Dorchester, Christchurch and Lymington, all had 11pm closing times on Monday to Saturday with some having closing set at 10pm on Sundays.

Solicitor Graham Cushion, for the company, said that with more than 200 stores in operation, some since 1980, the hearing over the Wimborne business was the first time that a new licence had been challenged.

He said that the busiest time of day for most of the stores was late morning and early evening and although 11pm was being requested, the store did not intend to stay open for that long every day, but wanted the 11pm cut off to allow for occasional events such as wine tasting.

He said that the usual closing time would be between 7pm and 8pm most days, and 5pm on Sundays and bank holidays.