A CRICKET club’s late night opening plans have been given the go-ahead by councillors despite protests from residents.
Honley Cricket Club had applied for a licence to offer entertainment and alcohol until 2am every day of the week.
But residents feared regular late nights and complained that noise would be caused by people leaving the premises in the early hours.
Yesterday members of the Kirklees Council’s Licensing Panel gave the club’s application the green light, but limited the nights it could stay open until 2am to Friday and Saturdays.
Club members said they were pleased with the decision which means that they are now able to secure extra income by holding functions and events they were previously unable to cater for.
Councillors heard that several locals had objected to the application.
Di Coldwell, who lives 500 yards from the clubhouse, spoke out against it at the meeting.
She said that the extra noise late into the night would cause her disabled husband trouble sleeping.
She said: “They may say the licence runs until 2am but the parties will not be over by then and there’s bound to be noise as people leave.
But the club’s Graham Hesling said that everyone would be off the premises by 2am, with the bar finishing at 1.15am.
He also said that steps have been taken to limit noise levels in accordance with the conditions set by Kirklees Environmental Health department.
These include displaying notices asking customers to leave quietly and ensuring entertainment takes place indoors.
Mr Hesling said: “We do everything we can to keep noise down to a minimum. We ask people having events to pay a bond and if there’s any trouble they don’t get the bond back.”
He told the panel that a 2am licence was not needed early in the week and that the functions being held there, including parties and club social events, would not be happening regularly.
He said: “We’re a local club for the local community and our income comes via the bar takings and from functions.
“We don’t want to stay open until 2am every night. But if that option is there then if people want to come back after a match or hold their functions here they can do and we won’t have to turn them away which means lost revenue for us.
“We’re a proper family club and we want to be there for the local community. To keep the club up and running this is necessary.”
The panel granted the club permission to play music until 12.30am Sunday to Thursday and 1am Fridays and Saturdays. It can serve alcohol until 1am Sunday to Thursday and 2am Fridays and Saturdays.
