A PRIVATE sex club in an historic Exmoor mansion was denied a licence to serve alcohol until 3am after neighbours claimed that they “viewed the future with horror” if it was granted.

Allen McCloud, who runs Exclusively Silks group sex and swingers parties at Croydon Hall, a hotel in the national park near Rodhuish, had asked Somerset West and Taunton Council’s licensing committee on Monday to extend his existing 11.30pm licence for drink, music and refreshment to 3am.

Instead, the committee ruled that the hotel could serve alcohol until 1am only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and that all non-resident guests must be off the premises by 1.45am.

Cllr Keith Turner, chairing his last meeting before retirement, said: “It was not an easy decision but hopefully we’ve come up with the right one.”

He said that if in the future there was evidence that the club was causing a public nuisance, the licence would be reviewed.

For the full story, buy this week’s Free Press (May 3).