We're only a DTO but, a "Weather minima chart" is permanently on the notice board, setting out limits for solo students, dual flights and flights by licence holders (with a separate column for IR/IRR holders) for circuit details, local flights, longer local flights and landaways. It's been there since I started as an RF many years ago. The O.P.'s flight would never have left the clubhouse if it were ours. (And had the 27 knot gust happened at the critical moment the x wind component would have been much more than 11 knots)
I get accused of being a wimp, but I just take that as a compliment..............