A pub at the centre of complaints over the singing of sectarian songs has been given the go ahead to introduce a pool table despite police concerns over the ‘additional attraction’.

The Railway, in Haddington, applied for permission to introduce the table in its bar under its former name The Green.

A meeting of East Lothian Council Licensing Board today heard that concerns had been raised over recent incidents at the pub.

READ MORE: Haddington: ‘Sectarian songs’ spark Haddington pub complaint

The board’s licensing standards officer said that local residents had compained about sectarian singing and noisy karaoke while the officer noted it had withdrawn from a local Pubwatch group, which shared information about barred customers and anti-social behaviour.

At a virtual meeting of the board on Thursday, Stephen McGowan, representing owners Greene King, said the complaints about singing had referred to a single incident which had been addressed, with staff and customers made aware of the company’s "robust" zero tolerance policy.

Police Scotland did not formally object to the application before the board meeting – but Sergeant Dougie Wardell, from the East Lothian community policing team, told the meeting that officers were planning to monitor the pub’s activities this weekend after receiving complaints.

He told the board that the pool table would be an "additional attraction" which he would not welcome, saying concerns had been raised at the long-standing local pub suddenly becoming the subject of complaints.

He said: “I would be concerned about any extension to activities there.”

Mr McGowan, however, urged board members to "set aside" Sergeant Wardell’s comments, highlighting that no formal police objection had been raised.

Board members adjourned to discuss the issue privately before agreeing to allow the pool table to be introduced.

Councillor Lachlan Bruce, board chairperson, told the pub’s representatives that board members had concerns but took comfort from Mr McGowan’s assurances that issues were being addressed.

He said: “We have concerns about the operation of this premises going forward and will be keeping a close eye on it.”

The board voted by four to two to approve the change of use to allow a pool table to be introduced with conditions that children aged 12 and under would be supervised by a responsible adult at all times in the premises and a written policy on operating the pool table would be produced at any time for licensed standards officers and police and be kept under review.