Sports and social club's events plan approved

A sports and social club has been given permission to hold events outdoors with live music and alcohol.

The Old Wulfrunians Club in Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, was already permitted to host activities such as film screenings, indoor sports, and live and recorded music as well as selling alcohol, indoors until 01:00.

The new licence enables the club to run events outdoors until 21:00 from Mondays to Thursdays, until 23:00 from Fridays and Saturdays, and 22:00 on Sundays.

On Sundays before a bank holiday, events can run up until 23:00.

Approval was also granted for seven outdoor events between 20 March and 30 September, as well as the annual bonfire event within the first two weeks of November.

One objector said initial proposals, which had sought permission for outdoor events until 01:00 on any day of the year, would have made life unbearable for nearby residents.

"The noise nuisance to the local people that would potentially have to put up with any level of noise if fewer than 500 people attend, as it would not be regulated, would seriously take away freedom of choice with no off button," they said.

Another said they already suffered when amplified music was played at the club.

"Over the last few years the noise nuisance has grown as the club appears to be rented out regularly for parties which can have extremely amplified music," they said.

Former club chairman and current secretary David Pointon told a council licensing committee that although the premises was allowed to operate until 01:00, events had always ended earlier in the evening.

"We have never exercised our right to open until 01:00 and we have no intention of changing it to open until 01:00 every night, or three nights a week," he said.

"One objection was why we seem to have more functions than we used to have.

"I don't think we're that different from many pubs or clubs – if we hadn't gone down that route to increase our income stream I have a horrible feeling we wouldn't exist now."

He said the club served the local community – with 30 junior football teams affiliated to it and six junior cricket teams.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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