St Gregory’s Social Club’s application for a change to its late licence was up for consideration at a tense, two-hour committee at the town hall this week.
As it stands it is allowed to open until 1am but it is not allowed to play music for more than an hour before closing time. It applied to be allowed to open until 1.30am and to play music until half-an-hour before closing time.
Agent John Wray told a committee of councillors David Grant, Debbie Newall and Jackie Schofield it would be a big boost to a business which was brought back to life more than a decade ago by director Stacey Jones.
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Mr Wray said: “The need to open until 1.30am is for a drink-up time after the alcohol sales.
“The need to play music is for the business to compete with other businesses and to cater for the area. There is a need to be competitive within the area.”
There were objections from a councillor, council officers and 10 residents a number of whom were in attendance at the town hall this week.
They said the social club is not abiding by its late licence at the moment so it is unlikely it would abide by its late licence after an amendment.
Garry Lee, a licensing officer, said: “I have made the point it is not acceptable.
“The frustration for me is that I have made the point but that there is a repeat.”
Residents said the main issue is the noise nuisance but there are other issues including drunkenness and drug use outside the social club.
Mr Wray said a lot of the other issues are due to customers of other businesses rather than customers of the business on Church Street.
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One resident, Ann Higman, said: “Not last weekend but the previous weekend I did not get to sleep until two o’clock on Friday night into Saturday morning. On Saturday night into Sunday morning it was the same and I did not get to sleep until two o’clock.
“By Sunday lunchtime I was on my knees.”
One resident, Danielle Bailey, said: “My daughter is two. It is going to affect her sleep and it is going to affect my sleep.
“It has been affecting my mental health for years and it is not acceptable. It is really, really unfair and it cannot go on.”
St Gregory’s Social Club’s application for a change to its late licence was refused by Cllr Grant, Cllr Newall and Cllr Schofield.
This article is by Jack Tooth. He is available at jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk.
