A country house will become "one of Kent's most prestigious wedding venues" when it hosts its first ceremonies later this year, bosses say.

The 18th century Ripple Court, on the outskirts of Deal, will put on up to 30 events a year in a 60ft marquee after plans were approved by Dover District Council (DDC).

Owners gained permission last week to sell alcohol between 9am and 11.30pm - despite concerns from residents over noise and disturbance.

Husband-and-wife team Peter Robertson and Francesca Reed bought the property in 2020 after it was marketed for £2.75m by agents Strutt and Parker, which described it as “one of east Kent’s most important country houses”.

The pair were represented by Michael Kheng, from Kurnia Licensing Consultants, at a meeting of DDC's licensing sub-committee last week.

He told members how there is a noise management plan in place at the site as "the last thing they want to do is disturb the residents of Ripple".

"They have three children, aged six, eight and 11, and they don’t want them disturbed," Mr Kheng said.

“It is hoped this will be one of Kent’s most prestigious wedding venues.”

Mr Kheng said their Grade II*-listed home needs constant upkeep and the wedding venue, which will be used between May and September, will help fund that.

He stressed that without the hours wanted the business would probably end up unviable, adding that extending the alcohol hours until 11.30pm was for wedding guests to buy takeaway bottles of alcohol.

But Rob Smyth, one of the residents who objected to the licensing application, said: “Ripple is a quiet, peaceful village and residents do not want to be disturbed by behaviour accompanied by the consumption of alcohol.”

He said its sale should stop at 10.30pm - a view echoed by his wife Barbara.

“We are very close neighbours, just 50 metres away...”

“I don’t understand why there should be a licence until 11.30pm when the guests have to leave then,” she said.

“Why not, at the most, 11pm? We are very close neighbours, just 50 metres away.”

The meeting heard the Kent Police and the council’s environmental health team raised no objections to the application.

One condition imposed by DDC’s licensing committee is that neighbours are notified of events in advance.

The first weddings, which will have no more than 120 guests at each, are due to be held at the Wingleton Lane site in 2024.

DDC ruled last year that fireworks and Chinese lanterns will not be allowed at the site, which had previously been owned by the same family for 50 years.