A long-standing sports club’s move to a new building has prompted neighbours to object to an application for a new club premises certificate.
Hove and Kingsway Bowling Club moved into the ground floor of the new sports hub built as part of the Hove Beach Park late last year.
As a result, it needs a new club premises certificate having vacated its old pavilion.
Ten neighbours and the director of a freehold company representing 12 residents, two of whom made separate comments, all objected to the application.
Kingsway is not in an area where Brighton and Hove City Council has restrictions on club premises certificates.
Neither Sussex Police nor the council raised any issues but the neighbours’ objections mean that it will go before a licensing panel made up of three councillors next Monday (10 February).
An anonymous objector, whose details were redacted by the council, said: “We are not willing to accept these planning details due to the possible noise and excess movement of people in and around the club and area in general.
“The area off the beach is residential and to have two clubs literally on top of each other offering drinks and entertainment is totally unacceptable and should not be allowed to be licensed in this way.”
Another anonymous objector, whose details were also redacted, said: “Previously, the bowls club premises were not open every day and when opened were invariably closed by 9.30pm and the members tended to be of the older persons of the community.
“The later the availability of alcohol and entertainment, the more likely there will be drunkenness and rowdy behaviour and vandalism on the bowling greens and the newly planted area, around the premises and also on the pavements of Kingsway including the car parking lane.”
The club initially applied to sell alcohol from 11am to 1am Monday to Saturday but has since changed the proposed end time for drink sales to midnight.
It also wanted a licence for live and recorded music until 1am but has revised this to 11pm for live musicians and midnight for recorded music.
On Sundays, the club wants licensing hours from 11am to 11pm.
The club, which has existed in various forms since 1896, said that it was happy to “engage fully with all responsible authorities and other interested parties” through its licensing agents.
It has included an offer to monitor music volumes and keep the records for at least six months. Rubbish collections would be limited to between 7am and 9pm.
The council licensing panel meeting is due to start at 10am on Monday (10 February). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
Those poor neighbours, I bet the bowls club members get up to all sorts of rowdy behaviour.
The whole statement is ageist (old people are quiet and young people are noisy) . Then at the next world cup when England lose and the ashes go to Australia you’ll moan about that because people don’t want stadia buy there precious bungalows have you ever even used the club although that would mean getting off you soap box I bet they would welcome you with open arms but little danger of that now you’ve gone running to the papers.
GET A GRIP
Total nimbyism, bit pathetic really. The club has operated for decades without issues.
Always good to know that the City has residents so posh that they think bowling is a rowdy occupation.
I walked past there on Sunday because I live nearby, and I heard they were doing nice Sunday lunches in the bowling club section.
It was already after 3pm and there was a band playing and the bowls club area was pretty full. But from the outside there wasn’t much noise at all.
As has been said, the previous bowls’ club had regular bands playing, so it seems only fair that they get the same licence they had before. The compromise might be that they have to keep their patio doors shut when they have live music.
I can imagine that those living directly opposite this huge pavilion might be more concerned about what happens upstairs, once that new bar and cafe open. The upstairs is three times the size of the bowling club section and has outdoor seating.
We are bowls players not drunken yobbos looking to kick of
The average Bowls conisuer has mainly cast-off parental responsibility and will no doubt be free to frolic – GnT in hand – without the need for permission. Last orders at 12 should provide plenty of sleep time before back on the Green for 11’is.
Can’t wait to get there!
I was going to comment on the application but I can’t find it on the website.
For several years there has been one consistent – and persistent -complainer who has single-handedly destroyed the proper operation of the two sports clubs. I have never understood why he is given so much credence.