Around 13 Ringsfield locals gathered in an East Suffolk Council conference room alongside representatives of a new upmarket restaurant, Edge at Noko, to scrutinise its bid to serve alcohol until midnight.

The venue, near Beccles, was brought before the licensing sub-committee after more than 30 formal objections were lodged.

Such was the strength of feeling against the bid that one woman even brought her baby to the meeting to help make her point over noise concerns.

The high-class restaurant is set against a man-made lake (Image: Supplied)

Applicant Alex Clare ultimately won the fight to secure a premises licence, despite concerns about noise, nuisance, and anti-social behaviour.

The coffee morning point

Mr Clare said he had attempted to engage with locals directly.

"I have also welcomed people from the village – all of you here, in fact – to come for coffee," he said.

"Rather than speaking with me directly, some chose to go to local papers or speak negatively online.

Villagers have been against the late-night proposals (Image: Victoria Humphrey)

Several villagers speaking later at the meeting disputed the claim, insisting they had received no such invitation.

Phill Worrell, who lives nearby, said:........

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