Move towards entertainment at centres

Live musical cabarets, sports sessions, theatre performances, dancing events and film screenings could be put on show at 14 community centres in Wolverhampton under plans to transform them into entertainment hubs.

Fourteen community centres have launched a bid to be allowed to host entertainment between 9am and 10pm. Licensing chiefs will consider the applications in weeks, as city leisure boss Councillor Matt Holdcroft told how he wanted community groups to "get the most" out of each centre.

And former Wednesfield councillor Phil Bateman also welcomed the plans. "These centres are at the heart of the community where everything takes place," he said. "I think it is the first time Ashmore Park has ever applied for anything like this and I think it is wonderful.

"Community centres have great importance, especially with so many pubs closing. "I think people will really welcome these bids and support it greatly," he added.

The Fordhouses and Oxley Community Centre, on Marsh Lane, want to be allowed to host events until 10.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

While Dunstall Hill Community Centre, Dunstall Avenue, Whitmore Reans wants a licence from 9am to midnight on Saturdays.

And among those listed for an entertainments licence is Bilston Community Centre, in Prouds Lane.

The venue will be replaced by a £15 million new leisure centre earmarked as part of the Bilston Urban Village development, which is expected to be up and running by November, 2010.

Richard Welch, community recreation manager for Wolverhampton City Council, said around half of the 26 community centres which come under the city council's remit already had licences.

He said: "This is a move to ensure that all the community centres have licences so they can put on entertainment in the future as part of our on-going efforts to improve community centres and what they offer to the public."

The Entertainers

These are the community centres which are bidding for the right to put on entertainment:

Ashmore Park Community Centre, Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Park

Bilston Community Centre, Prouds Lane

Bradmore Community Centre, Birches Barn Road, Penn Fields

Dovecotes Community Centre, The Ryefields, Pendeford

Dunstall Hill Community Centre, Dunstall Avenue, Whitmore Reans

Fordhouses and Oxley Community Centre, Marsh Lane, Fordhouses

Heath Town Community Centre, Chervil Rise, Heath Town

Innisfallen House, King Street, Bradley

Lunt Community Centre, Lunt Road

Neil Dougherty Education and Resource Centre, Masefield Road, The Scotlands

Portobello Community Centre, Hill Road

Priory Green Community Centre, Whitburn Close, Pendeford

Wednesfield Community Centre, Alfred Squire Road

Woodcross Community Centre, Ettingshall Road, Coseley