Villagers object to cricket club’s bar bid
A sports club’s bid to serve alcohol after practices and at matches is not cricket for villagers who fear noise and traffic problems if the proposal is allowed.
Residents living near the cricket ground in Church Eaton say there have already been issues with boozing, shouting and swearing after matches and it has been claimed one was threatened with a cricket bat.
But Church Eaton Cricket Club says it currently has no control over people bringing their own alcohol onto the field, which has public access, and was not made aware of any threats made to neighbours.
The club is aiming to have more control over alcohol on the site and raise much-needed funds if it is allowed to open a bar in the cricket pavilion at the High Street sports ground.
Stafford Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee will consider the club premises certificate application at a hearing on Wednesday (June 14).
"There have been no objections from police and the council’s environmental health department has agreed a number of conditions with the club, but there have been seven representations made by residents living near the ground.
One objector said: “Car parking at this end of the village has already led to several dangerous situations.
"I think it reasonable to assume that the granting of a license is likely to increase the number of cars parked in this area, and hence the number of occasions hazardous overspill parking is likely to occur.
“It seems that some alcohol is already being brought onto site, as cricketers can be seen after matches, holding cans of beer/lager.
"Last season this alcohol seemed to fuel the after‐match celebrations involving lewd shouting, swearing and unacceptable behaviour which has no regard for the High Street neighbours who back on to the cricket ground.
“This revelling goes on after dark.
"One of my neighbours was threatened with a cricket bat when he spoke to a group of cricketers who were repeatedly hitting a cricket ball against his wooden garden fence.
“Three times during the season neighbours have called out the chairman of Glebelands Sports Association Ltd (the body which holds the lease and who rents the ground to the cricket club) to remonstrate with the cricketers in an attempt to get them to modify their night time behaviour.
"The granting of an extended drinks licence will surely only serve to aggravate the current problems.”
Another objector said: “We have lived in Church Eaton for over 20 years. We have in the past had no problems with the club and have enjoyed many afternoons and evenings watching the game.
“Unfortunately the last couple of years things have radically changed regarding the (manner) in which the club is run.
"Church Eaton Cricket Club have little or no regard for its neighbouring residents or the people who live in this village and, in fact, the vast majority of players don’t even live in this village.
“We feel an alcohol licence will heighten these issues to a new level.
"The club was erected for the use of players providing teas and light refreshments, not for the sale of alcohol.”
In response to the objections the club said there was an agreement in place that the school car park could be used as overflow parking if required.
It added: “We would also like to highlight that there are no double or single yellow lines in the village apart from outside of the school.
“As the field is open to public access 24/7 we have no control if people bring alcohol to be consumed whilst on the sports field.
"We would like the licence so that we have more control and can sell alcohol to raise much needed funding to continue running the club for future generations.
“We were not aware of any threats made with a cricket bat to our neighbour and if this is true, we would have supported reporting this to the police as this is against the club constitution and we do not condone any threats or violence.
"We were made aware of the balls being hit at the fence by visiting opposition and responded by installing signage asking people to respect our neighbours and not to play ball games against the fences.
“We feel the club has addressed issues raised to the club and GSA and are not aware of any official complaints being filed against the club.
"The club is not planning to use the facilities more than it currently does during the cricket season, the pavilion is not used October to mid April and we have no plans to start doing so.
“We plan to sell alcohol after practice, during and after matches between mid April to September.
"We have applied for every evening to allow for any rearrangements due to weather.”
