THE newly-built North Berwick Bowling Club has been granted an alcohol licence – despite noise concerns from residents.

The new clubhouse, on the town’s Clifford Road, opened last month after the club demolished its former home to build a new facility.

Geoff Ramsay, from neighbouring Macnair Avenue, attended a meeting of East Lothian Council’s licensing board in Haddington last Thursday morning to voice his fears.

He said he was not against the granting of the premises licence, which would allow the club to sell alcohol between 11am and 11pm, seven days a week.

But Mr Ramsay added: “The unconstrained scope of this application would likely result in significant disturbance to surrounding residential properties.”

He claimed that, on the evening of the opening of the new clubhouse, his house was “shaking” because of the noise levels.

However, officials from the bowling club were keen to stress that that was a one-off occasion.

At the meeting, Alan Walker said: “I have been a member of the bowling club for 30 years and I can say that that event was the first time I can remember us having a band play.

“We had an event last Saturday – a 50th wedding anniversary – and we received no complaints about that.

“That is more likely to be the kind of events we are hosting.”

Mr Ramsay also asked that the licensing board “place appropriate constraints” on the club’s alcohol licence “so that disturbance to neighbouring properties is kept at an acceptable level”.

Rudi Fruzynski, licensing standards officer at East Lothian Council, said: “This is the same type of licence as the club had previously. They are able to apply for up to 12 occasional licences each year to hold functions”.

After a brief discussion, members unanimously agreed to approve the application, and granted the club its licence.