Organizers of a Harry Potter-themed event at Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire have been denied a license to sell alcohol after receiving over 75 objections from local residents. The event, scheduled for October, had planned to offer mulled wine and Irish cream hot chocolate as part of a light display trail. However, the licensing subcommittee ultimately rejected the application. During the licensing hearing, John Parkes, a Reform UK councillor, raised concerns, suggesting that "normal men" would not typically choose the beverages on offer. While the non-alcoholic drink Butterbeer—branded as part of the Harry Potter universe—was unaffected by the ruling, Parkes described it as "horrendous." Jon Payne from Forestry England emphasized that the event would be family-friendly, with alcohol consumption restricted to "very small" amounts from "limited outlets" in the forest. One resident objected to the application, arguing that encouraging people to "drive to an event, have a drink, and then drive home" could endanger children. Another resident expressed concern that the forest, already described as "a magical place," did not need additional alcohol. Residents also raised concerns about the event's timing, which proposed selling alcohol and playing music between 15:30 and 22:30. One resident noted that the evening hours were typically expected to be "peaceful and quiet," and that previous events had caused issues such as noise, parking problems, and anti-social behavior. Emily Sewell from event producers Culture Creative Limited stated that background music would be used in "limited areas" of the site and that, based on past experience, about one in five visitors at such events consumes alcohol. The committee's chair, Maureen Freeman from Labour, said the panel was "not minded to grant the licence as requested."