An adventure centre is to open a Viking-themed bar and digital 'shooting gallery'.

The proposals were outlined as councillors debated the licensing conditions for Seal’s Cove in Shoe Lane, Bridport.

A Dorset Council licensing committee has backed the proposed licensing changes, which will include all indoor and outdoor areas of the premises – although with restrictions on times. Until now the Premises Licence has only applied to specific parts of the building.

One of the conditions of the changes will be that patrons will have to leave the garden area by 10pm and that when live or recorded music is taking place all doors and windows will have to be closed, with the licence holder having to take sound levels every hour in the outside area when events are being held involving music.

The effect of the new conditions will be to allow live or recorded music indoors until 11.30pm Monday to Sunday, with an extension to 12.30am  on New Year’s Eve and Bank Holidays, with live or recorded music outdoors until 11.30pm Friday to Sunday and until 11pm Monday to Thursday, although the panel heard that outdoor music was only likely to be background music at low levels.

Alcohol sales, both on and off the premises, will be allowed every day until 11.30pm with an extension until 12.30am on New Year’s Eve and Bank Holidays.

Two letters against the changes had been received by the Dorset Council licensing committee with one in support. Bridport Town Council had originally opposed the changes but later said it would be content if all the conditions suggested by the Dorset Council Environmental Protection Team were adopted, which Seal’s Cove said it would do.

Designated Premises Supervisor, Michael Byrne, told councillors that the current main function of the building was as a soft play area but the ambition was to be a family adventure centre. He said the business had nearly finished creating a bar with a Viking theme where they planned to sell mead to drink on the premises and to take away.

The business was also planning a ‘shooting range’ style attraction for people to play using a large screen – similar to a large-scale virtual reality computer game which did not involve any type of ammunition.

Said Mr Byrne: “The big part of our business will continue to be the children’s soft play… I’m not anticipating being a late-night venue.”