AN official of Lydney Rugby Club made a public apology to people living nearby about a licence application that could have seen outdoor events for up to 5,000 people and music until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

But the application for a new premises licence has been deferred by Forest of Dean district councillors for consultation on a scaled back version that would see a maximum of 1,500 people for outdoor events and a 1am finish for music indoors.

The council’s licensing committee was presented with a revised application from the club after objections to the original proposal by people living near the Regentsholme ground and Gloucestershire Police.

Discussions continued with the council until just before the committee meeting last Wednesday (September 23) and councillors were advised to put off a decision because of the extent of the changes.

After the committee had agreed to defer the application for six weeks for further consultation with the police and residents, the licence holder for the club, Richard Kemsley, issued the apology.

He said: “I’d like to apologise on behalf of the rugby club for how this initial application went in.

“I’d like to apologise to the committee and particularly the residents, it wasn’t put very well and I agree the amendments need to be done.

“I apologise for the poor communication, this is why this has all been all held up.”

The new application, if accepted, will lead to “considerably less licensable activity, considerably shorter times” and a capacity “considerably less” than the maximum of 4,999 people in the original application, licensing officer James Holland told the councillors.

He said: “Our concern and that of the residents was that they (the club) asked for 5,000 people under the licence.

“If that was granted, technically that could be every weekend. Realistically that is not going to happen but we wanted some clarification as to the frequency of events in a calendar year.

“They’ve indicated four times a year so we would be happy to condition four to six events a year.

“The maximum capacity is likely to be no more than, and significantly less than, 1,500. That includes staff, contractors and security.

“It is not an application for 5,000 people every weekend.”

The council is also likely to insist that outdoor events finish at 11pm, as other gatherings – such as the recent Coleford Music Festival – have done.

Entertainment inside the clubhouse could continue beyond that time but not to the time originally applied for and the club would have to make sure there was no noise nuisance for neighbours.

Mr Holland said: “We are looking to bring that back significantly to between 12 and 1am for regulated entertainment (such as live or recorded music, dancing and boxing or wrestling) depending on the day of the week.

“Even if it is until 1am there will always be those management controls.”

The terms of the new application would have to be agreed with the rugby club but could include the bar closing at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 11pm on other days of the week, a midnight finish for ‘regulated entertainment’ on Monday to Thursday and 12am or 1am on Friday and Saturday, and a maximum capacity of 1,500 for field events.

The public will have the opportunity to comment on the new application before it is brought back to the licensing committee for the final decision.

Councillors insisted they have the final decision despite officers recommending they be allowed to grant permission – which is the usual way of dealing with non-controversial applications – if there are no objections from the police and residents.