CORNWALL councillors will decide next week whether a Christmas event featuring an ice rink, Santa grotto and fun fair will go ahead.

The organiser of the Cornwall Winter Wonderland event, which has already been heavily advertised on social media, has applied for a premises licence to hold the event at Pool Market, between Camborne and Redruth, from November 21 to January 4.

However, a Cornwall Council licensing committee will hold a hearing into the festivity’s fate after concerns were raised about how it would be run based on previous events organised by the applicant, David Rowland.

A member of the public from Essex has written to the council raising a number of objections based on concerns directly related to the four licensing objectives as set out in the Licensing Act 2003: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

Devon and Cornwall Police originally had concerns, stating that the application needed to be improved, but are now happy for the Winter Wonderland festival to go ahead after various conditions were added to the licence, including assurances that the capacity in the licensable area will be 500, all bar staff will receive training and information in relation to the Challenge 25 scheme, with ID checks being essential.

Nationwide Festivals Ltd has applied to run the open-air festival festival for 44 days, excluding Christmas Day. There would be a marquee containing the ice rink and two log-style cabins. Within the licensed area there would be a number of mobile food outlets and a bar. The applicant has provided the council with event safety and crowd management plans.

The sole director of Nationwide Festivals Ltd is David Rowland, who is also director of Rowland Attractions Ltd, Rowlands Events Limited, Live In The South Ltd, Carousel Bars (SW) Ltd, Extreme Events Ltd, J Rowland Attractions Ltd, Winter Wonderland (Exeter) Ltd and Rowlands Events Limited. He is is the eighth generation of the well-known Devon-based Rowland fun fair family.

Sean Barlow, of Wickford, Essex, has objected to the licence. In correspondence to Cornwall Council, he said: “At previous events organised by the applicant, there have been multiple instances of failing to check tickets or monitor entry.

“On several occasions, people have been observed entering the premises without tickets being checked or security staff present. This raises significant concerns about overcrowding, emergency evacuation capabilities and unauthorised access, all of which compromise public safety under the Licensing Act 2003.

“At more than one event, there have been documented complaints about the vendors selling out-of-date drinks, which poses a risk to public health and safety.”

He added: “At previous events organised by the applicant, music has been played containing lyrics with profanities and inappropriate references, including but not limited to suicide, in some lyrics.

“The event was not adequately advertised as being age restricted and children have been present at some performances that were clearly unsuitable. Additionally, there has been no visible enforcement of age restrictions either at the entrance to the event, or at on-site bars, allowing under-age individuals access to adult content and potentially alcohol.

“A number of previous events organised by the applicant have had few or no door staff at the entrance, leading to insufficient monitoring and the potential for crime and disorder to thrive. This is further exacerbated when tickets are not checked.

“The lack of door staff and insufficient monitoring during large events creates an environment where disorder can flourish. The absence of ticket checks at previous events organised by the applicant has resulted in unmanaged crowds, increasing the risk of antisocial behaviour, drug use and the potential for under-age drinking.”

Mr Barlow stated: “Based on the examples highlighted in this email and consistent negative feedback from stakeholders, including but not limited to the local communities about previous events organised by the applicant, there is a clear and irrefutable pattern of mismanagement and resulting disregard for the licensing objectives.

“Should Cornwall Council, as the licensing authority, be minded to grant the application, I strongly urge that the licence includes: mandatory ticket verification at entry, age restrictions and content warnings for performances, enforcement of Challenge 25 policy, food hygiene compliance inspections, as well as mandatory training for staff on safeguarding and alcohol service.”

Lynne Aykroyd, who wrote the event management plan (EMP) on behalf of David Rowland, responded to Mr Barlow’s concerns, saying the Winter Wonderland festival would be a free event to enter, with pre-booked tickets only required for the ice rink and Santa grotto.

Concerning age restrictions and content warnings for performances, she added: “This a family event with no age restrictions required (except bar service). There are no performances at this event.”

She said the Challenge 25 policy was already in place and would be adhered to by staff, who will all receive mandatory training on safeguarding and alcohol service. The organisers were “more than happy” for food hygiene inspections to be carried out. “We have safeguarding officers already in place along with robust procedures as detailed in the EMP,” added Ms Aykroyd.

Earlier this year unhappy visitors to a hot air balloon and music festival in Cornwall criticised the “chaotic” event with a barrage of complaints. Balloons and Tunes UK – which is run by a company called Extreme Events Ltd whose director is David Rowland – deleted comments and posts on its Facebook page after its three-day event in July came under fire.

One of the main complaints was about the festival not putting on a firework display despite advertising it for months prior to the event at Penhale, Fraddon.

However, Balloons and Tunes UK said in the comments section of a post on its Facebook page on the day of the event that it did not have a licence for the fireworks, so would not be able to display them. A reporter asked why it promised fireworks without having a licence but received no reply.

Members of the public also criticised the event’s traffic management, ticket prices – which they said cost more in advance than on the day when they should have been cheaper, pre-paid parking tickets not being checked and the cost of food and drinks being sold.

In May, families who attended Exmouth’s “biggest funfair” took to social media to complain about the price of rides being more at the event than previously advertised. The fair is organised by one of David Rowland’s companies. There have also been complaints made online about songs containing “foul language” being played at a David Rowland-organised fair in Bideford.

The Cornwall Council licensing meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12.