Plans submitted by a south Manchester sport's club to host a beer festival for 2,500 people have been refused following objections from angry neighbours.
Didsbury Sports Ground, which is home to a variety of sports teams, wanted to extend their licence to cover the outside area of the site - to provide one outdoor public event a year to be held in the summer months.
But local residents said they were shocked to find out that what they initially thought was a one day event next summer was actually a three-day craft beer festival for up to 2,500 people.
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It comes as The Licensing Sub Committee panel in Manchester Town Hall heard how previous events from the sports club had seen unruly behaviour from drunk patrons filtering through the residential area back towards Didsbury Village.
Police had even been called when customers had climbed on top of parked cars en-route home from the venue during the festive period, the committee was told.
The licence extension was asking for permission from Manchester City Council for a capacity of up to 4,999 people, which raised eyebrows from neighbours.
Residents, who already have a gripe with the Ford Lane site amid claims of ongoing issues of loud music being played during late hours of the night, feared that the area could be hit by a wave of anti-social behaviour from revellers leaving the site.
Neighbours claim the establishment had not been adhering to their current licence, which gave them grim expectations as to whether they could contain 2,500 people.
Objector Natalie Dawes, speaking at the hearing, said: “I am really disappointed the club owners didn’t come here today. This has become more and more of a problem in the last three or four years as it has become more about alcohol sales rather than a community based club.
“I think this hearing today shows residents are fed up with what has been going on. By allowing an event like this it would be rewarding particularly bad behaviour the club has demonstrated in the last few years.”
Emma O’Driscoll, another objecting resident, told the committee that her property had been damaged in recent weeks following a Didsbury Sports Ground event. She had no confidence the club could deliver a safe event given their track record.
“The way the owner has been unable to stick by current licence measures makes me sceptical,” she told the panel. “I think this (event) would spill over into the village.”
The key issues 40 objectors had was in regard to public safety, noise disturbance, how to access the venue down the narrow lane and control of punters leaving the event, Manchester Town Hall was told.
Joshua Boyd, the agent appearing on behalf of the applicant in the town hall, explained that there were potential plans in place for how the site would be accessed, but not every arrangement was in place yet.
He went on to say that they would be promoting the use of public transport and walking only access when advertising the event to avoid an abundance of cars piling down the narrow lane towards the club. The club's current parking capacity can only cater for around 20 vehicles.
The agent explained that the club had not consulted with the nearby residents because they did not believe there would be objection, despite the town hall being told about numerous complaints sent into the council’s licensing team.
After hearing representations from both the applicant’s agent and the objectors, chair of the committee Coun Paul Andrews declared they would be refusing the licensing application.
The questions regarding the accessibility of Ford Lane, whether public safety could be managed and the ongoing disregard of neighbours’ concerns from the club were all reasons for the refusal.
Clive Szmit, director of Didsbury Sports Club, explained that he could not attend the licensing hearing on May 30 because his chef at the club was unwell. He claimed this meant he had to step in and cook for 200 children who were at the club on an activity day.
“I am disappointed that they have said this,” he said following the committee’s decision. “I am really gutted they have gone down that road. Moving forward I would invite every one of them to come in. We are really careful (after 10pm) about noise.
“I know there isn’t a chance I can keep every one of these people happy all the time. People don’t like change and I get that, but I implore them to come into the club and speak to me.
“I am going to get the objectors in and educate myself on the issues before making a decision as to whether we will reapply for this. I won’t apply again unless those unhappy people would be happy with it.
“We were going to give them tickets for the event for free but obviously I wasn’t there so I couldn’t explain that."
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