Cricket fans will be able to watch the match with a cold beer after a club was given the green light to serve alcohol within its grounds.
Tonge Cricket Club applied to change the licence to enable it to sell alcohol on special events days and allow patrons to drink around the cricket ground with the club have effectively a beer garden.
The application to vary the licence was put forward by Chairman Gareth Oliver and Designated Premises Supervisor, Thomas Schofield.
The sale of alcohol, the application outlined, will be on events such as fun days at Christmas or Bonfire Night and special match tournaments which will include one or two small gazebos on the grounds.
It also stated that the consumption of alcohol on the grounds will be akin to a beer garden and will enable spectators to enjoy a drink on the grounds on match days and special event days.
The sale of alcohol would be confined to the area’s main front area and the club house, which was refurbished earlier this year.
A request was made to extend the times for activities including indoor sporting events, live music indoors and outdoors, performance of dance and late-night refreshments.
Chairing the meeting, Cllr David Chadwick asked how they planned to control boisterous and anti-social behaviour on site.
The two reassured the panel that staff and door supervision will always be in operation and will remove unsociable personnel from the premises if necessary.
They also installed a panic button that connects directly to the police.
It was heard that music is played outdoors on occasion during match days, which is around three to four times per year to create “atmosphere” and lasting no longer than twenty seconds.
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A neighbour who was opposing the application, Mr Jones, said: “I live in the vicinity of the cricket club and sometimes there is loud music over Tonge Moor way. I want to make sure that this doesn’t happen too often and disturb the area.”
In response, Mr Oliver said: “I understand your concerns, but it’s important to remember that there are other venues around the area, local pubs, I don’t want it all chucked before us.
“I live on the grounds myself and I can hear loud music at all hours, that concerns me. The cricket club once had some complaints about loud music, but we weren’t even open at the time.”
Mr Schofield added: “We don’t want any negativity towards the community, we work alongside local community groups in the Tonge area who use our space, such as organising girls’ cricket, and don’t want there to be a divide.
“We want to be a beacon for the community and welcome the information provided in this meeting to help us go forward. We welcome any assistance from the community in helping us achieve this.”
The licencing application for the cricket club was granted on a conditional basis. This includes playing ordinary music outdoors from 12pm – 9pm, performance and dance both outdoors and indoors from 9am – 9pm, playing live music indoors and outdoors from 9am – 9pm and the sale of alcohol between 9am – 12:30am.
The request for playing films outdoors and late night refreshments were withdrawn by the club.
Got a story? Email me at Leah.Collins@newsquest.co.uk
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