South London pensioners have been reassured they can have a glass of wine at lunch after a care home faced a furious backlash over its booze plans. Neighbours expressed fears Surbitonian Gardens in Kingston would become a pub after it applied to sell alcohol until 11pm.

The 80-bed home's owner, Anavo, also applied to Kingston Council to host plays from 2.30pm to 8pm, play live music until 10pm and hold dance shows until 10pm outside.

Manager Thomasina Browne told Kingston Council's licensing committee on Wednesday (August 31) the licence would "create choice" by giving a "broad timescale" and the events wouldn't take place daily or even outside "very often". She said the home wants to offer patients booze at mealtimes and at invite-only events.

But the committee heard a condition on the application ruled out what the home wants. Concerns were raised it would restrict serving booze too much as it included a condition saying "events during which permitted licensable activities take place will be invite only". The care home was also advised to make the application "more specific" so it doesn't "alarm" neighbours after several wrote to the council with fears the hours were too "broad" and the home would become a "pub".

Ms Browne told councillors she was worried she would have to tell residents they can't have beer or a glass of wine with meals if she withdrew the application, although it's their "human right to be able to do so". She said: "I think [it] would be unfair for us, being very honest … our residents are going to be penalised."

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Sillett said: "It just seems a shame that we might inadvertently be depriving residents of having a lunch-time beer or a drink when we really don't want that to happen … it seems to me that they do need to go away and tweak this application so it doesn't alarm residents and they're more specific about what they actually do require."

Council lawyer Jennifer Jarvis-Roberts said residents could still have an alcoholic drink as it "falls under having a glass of wine at home because that is the home that they belong to".  

She said: "It's different from if they're visiting and they're purchasing and alcohol is widely available to someone who is visiting – then that comes under that licensing act. But living in the same premises does not fall under the licensing act as a licensable activity." She added: "If there's any ambiguity in that sense … it is incumbent on the care home to have their own legal advisors advise them specifically to this if they find it is something they still need to consider after this meeting."

The care home has withdrawn the application and will resubmit it with changed terms to be decided at a future meeting.