YORK Minster has objected to plans for a nearby luxury hotel to extend its alcohol licence by an hour, saying the move would create “unacceptable noise and nuisance” for people living in houses owned by the Minster.

And residents have also opposed the application - with one claiming that guests leaving the award-winning hotel have been witnessed shouting for taxis in the early hours and urinating on properties.

Grays Court Hotel already has a licence to serve alcohol and play live music until 10.30pm every night of the week except for Fridays and Saturdays, when its licence extends to 11.30pm.

Owner Helen Heraty has now applied for permission to serve alcohol until 11.30pm every night of the week and include the hotel’s L-shaped driveway in the licensed area so guests can move from the courtyard to the garden with their drinks.

But The Chapter of York Minster and residents have objected to the plans.

The Chapter, which allowed a temporary tipi bar serving alcohol to be installed in Dean’s Park beside the Minster this summer, said the licence should not be granted in “this exceptional and sensitive location”.

It said Chapter House and Minster Court are within the Minster’s Precinct, with a Minster Canon living in a house near the hotel.

The objection letter from the Minster says: “The Precinct is a historic and ecclesiastical location of international significance.

“The predominant, long-established uses of the Precinct are ecclesiastical, residential and open space, which combine to create its notably quiet ambience.

“The extension of late-night licensed activity by the further hour now applied for would increase the risk that immediate, unwelcome and unacceptable noise intrusion and nuisance will potentially be experienced by the occupants of nearby private residences throughout each week.”

Several residents have also objected to the application, with one neighbour saying she has seen hotel guests “behaving badly” and urinating on houses as they leave the premises.

One objection says: “I am a neighbouring property and this is a quiet residential area and largely owned by York Minster. My sleep is regularly disturbed by Grays Court guests leaving the premises in a drunken state and shouting for taxis well into the early hours right outside my house. Several of them have been so in drink that they have urinated on many of our properties. This is a crime and a public disorder offence that I have personally witnessed many times by guests leaving Grays Court late at night particularly following a wedding there.”

The existing licence conditions say there will be no recorded music played outdoors, CCTV covering the entrance to the hotel is installed and noise and vibration should not cause a nuisance to nearby properties.

A solicitor writing on behalf of the hotel to the licensing committee said: “Grays Court is a landmark building in York and, as such, an asset to not only the tourist industry but the residents of York, many of whom enjoy its facilities and utilise the opportunity to use its facilities for wedding, functions etc. Indeed the hotel was voted Hotel of the Year in York and surrounding areas in 2018. The viability of this hotel is therefore a matter of public interest.”

The licensing committee will meet on Thursday at 10am to determine the application. Both York Minster and Grays Court Hotel were approached for a comment.