Derbyshire football club’s “back garden nightclub” gets green light

Stanton Ilkeston Football Club, based off Dale View in Ilkeston, applied for permission to sell alcohol and play music from 10am until 11pm every day of the week.

Erewash Borough Council held a hearing for the owners and neighbours to air their views on the application and for councillors to decide it.

The authority has now published its decision, detailing that the application has been approved.

It says that “on balance” granting a licence and enforcing several conditions would be an adequate way of managing the venue and any potential issues, control that is not there without one.

The council has decided that all windows and external doors must be closed when regulated entertainment (late night music) is taking place, except to temporarily allow exit and entry.

It says a written noise log must be kept for 12 months and provided to the police on request. A responsible nominated person must be present when regulated entertainment takes place and make frequent checks around the perimeter of the football grounds to ensure neighbours are not “disturbed”; and no alcohol can be drunk outside after 10.30pm.

At the hearing Justin Clarke, joined in Ilkeston Town Hall council chamber by his partner Justyna Plusa and their baby son Casper, spoke on behalf of a number of opposing residents.

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Mr Clarke, who moved to Dale View in 2017, said the club’s plans felt like a “blatant kick in the face” for the neighbourhood.

He said the plans would “absolutely ruin the peaceful neighbourhood” with what would “essentially be a nightclub” in their back garden,

Mr Clarke also said it would mean that he and his partner would not be able to sleep in their home’s rear bedroom – nearest to the club.

He said: “We moved here because of how quiet it was. Every single young family living nearby does not want to have a nightclub in their back garden.

“Now for four to five weekends, possibly in a row, every year, we wouldn’t be able to use our gardens and would not be able to sleep.”

He said he would like his son to play for the club when he grows up.

Mr Clarke said there was “unacceptable” noise from an awards ceremony at the club past 11pm on July 16 last year.

A meeting was called on July 18 by the club to discuss issues caused by this event, but Mr Clarke said there was further disruption from a loud event at the venue on July 24, the following weekend.

John Andrews, chairman of the football club, told the hearing that there would be six or seven presentation evenings held at its base, the Ron Brooks Pavilion, each year.

He said these would probably be in May or June across three to four weekends.

Mr Andrews said a designated “responsible person” would be on duty for each of these nights to monitor noise .

He said bar staff would be fully trained and that the facilities would just be for members, not for the general public.

Mr Andrews said the club had been at the Dale View site for 30 years and last year celebrated its centenary. He said the clubhouse had been a collection of portacabins until three years ago, and the current venue had only been in real use for two years due to the pandemic.

Judy Barratt, secretary for the football club’s girls teams, said it was a “responsible” organisation with 300 players and 25 teams.

Ms Barratt said CCTV coverage would be widened to include the inside of the clubhouse.

She also said members and visiting teams are told to take consideration of the neighbours while at the venue and on its pitches.

Cllr Kevin Miller had said it was clear the club needed to take action regarding noise at its events and had “patently failed” to sufficiently monitor the issue.

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Ms Barratt agreed the club “potentially” needed to “tighten up” on noise issues.

She said the bar would not be available when the clubhouse was rented out to other groups in the community, it would be reserved for use by the club itself.

Ms Barratt said: “We don’t intend to do anything at all that is late or noisy, and it would not be regular, it would be on an occasional basis.”

Cllr Kewal Singth Athwal, chairman of the committee, said the club needed to take action specifically on noise issues, as opposed to measures to promote the health and safety of its club members.

Brendaw Morris, the council’s head of law, said the authority’s environmental health team say all of the venue’s windows and doors should be closed when music is being played.

Mr Andrews said the doors facing the pitch would be open.

Ms Barratt said: “We have done everything we possibly can to meet all the requests, we can’t be perfect.”

Mr Clarke said bad language could often be heard from guests using the picnic tables in the venue’s car park.

Ms Barratt said: “We can’t really control what people say. We can’t really control what comes out of people’s mouths, sorry.”

She said the club had a welfare officer who would take action against bad language used around children.

Carolyn Singleton, the council’s licensing manager, said the club would have to monitor the outside area.

She also said that if the venue was granted its premises licence this area would need to be cleared after 11pm.

Ms Singleton said: “You’ have to comply, there may be restrictions which change how you currently do business, different from with a temporary event notice.”

Cllr Athwal said: “You do have a business to run and you want to expand, and the residents wish to enjoy a peaceful life in their houses.

“Your neighbours are probably also your customers. We need to find the best result for both parties.”